AGUILAR
The surname Aguilar is a Spanish habitational name that has its roots in the Iberian Peninsula, a region of Europe whose early history was profoundly influenced by the Roman Empire.
In the Spanish language the word aguila means “eagle”, and the surname was originally used to denote a person who lived near a place called Aguilar or who had a direct association with such a locality. The form of the name that is most common in modern times, Aguilar, is a later development from the Latin word aquilaria, literally “the eagles’ lair”. This reflects the common practice of the time for taking a surname from a distinctive feature of the terrain or a notable local establishment.
Over the centuries the surname has appeared in a number of spellings, including Aguilera and Aguiar. These variations are found predominantly in Spanish‑speaking countries and in Hispanic communities globally. The surname is also documented in Portuguese records, and a minority of families bearing the name can be identified among Ashkenazi populations, although the number of Jews with this surname is comparatively small. In all cases the name signals a familial connection to a place identified with the symbol of the eagle.
The earliest surviving official record of the family name is that of Luis Aguilar, dated 24th August 1661, in the municipal registers of Asuncion in what is now Paraguay. This document was issued during the reign of King Philip the Eleventh of Spain, who was also Emperor of the Mexican lands from 1619 to 1665. Subsequent early records include that of Flores Aguilar of Santa Ana, Mexico, dated 21st July 1778, and that of Jose Aguilar of the San Diego Mission in California, who married Maria Lopez on 6th December 1781. These entries illustrate the migration of bearers of the surname within the Spanish colonial sphere during the 18th century.
The coat of arms that has been granted to the Aguilar family in Spain is distinguished by a gold field on which a black eagle is displayed. The heraldic device reinforces the linguistic connection of the family name to the animal that is at its linguistic root. The use of this motif in the family’s heraldry was formalised during the period when surnames were becoming hereditary and were used to identify noble or established households.
In contemporary times the surname Aguilar is widely encountered in both Spain and the Americas, with significant concentrations in Mexico, the United States, and other parts of Latin America where Spanish influence remains strong. Its prevalence in these regions is largely a consequence of historical migration and the transmission of Spanish names to colonial societies during the centuries of European expansion.
Typical given names associated with the Aguilar surname
Male
- Andrew
- Arturo
- Carlos
- Christopher
- David
- Ian
- John
- Jose
- Joseph
- Michael
- Patrick
- Paul
- Ricardo
- Rogelio
Female
- Ana
- Catherine
- Doris
- Ellen
- Esther
- Isabel
- Julie
- Kim
- Laura
- Lauren
- Lorraine
- Maria
- Mary
- Sara
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Aguilar in...
Braille
⠁⠛⠥⠊⠇⠁⠗
Morse
.---...-...-...-.-.
Semaphore
There are approximately 393 people named Aguilar in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around six in a million people in Britain are named Aguilar.
Origin: Iberian
Region of origin: Europe
Country of origin: Spain
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Spanish
Famous people named Aguilar
- Grace Aguilar - Novelist, writer (1816 to 1847)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.