Herrera

The origin of the surname Herrera

Herrera comes from hierro, “iron,” for a smith or ironworks.

What kind of surname is Herrera?

As an occupational surname, the surname Herrera began as a description of the bearer's job, trade or office — one of the oldest and richest sources of family names. In the medieval world, a person was naturally identified by what they did, so the baker, the smith, the miller and the weaver each lent their trade to a name that later became hereditary. These surnames are wonderfully transparent windows onto everyday life in earlier centuries, preserving crafts and roles that in many cases no longer exist. Because certain trades were common everywhere, occupational surnames are among the most widespread family names in many countries.

How Spanish surnames work

Spanish surnames classically use the patronymic suffix “-ez” meaning “son of” — González (“son of Gonzalo”), Rodríguez, Martínez, Fernández. Alongside these are locational names (often with “de”) and occupational or descriptive names. Spanish-speaking cultures also traditionally carry two surnames, the father's followed by the mother's, so a full name preserves both family lines.