Surname Valenzuela - Meaning and Origin
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Cultural and Historical Discoveries: Decoding the Valenzuela Lineage Through My iGENEA DNA Test
Unveiling the history behind my surname through the lens of the iGENEA DNA test has enabled me to travel back in time. I discovered that the Valenzuela surname has a rich history anchored in Spanish soil, intertwined with Moorish influences, and extends across the Atlantic into the New World.
H. Valenzuela
read moreValenzuela: What does the surname Valenzuela mean?
The surname Valenzuela originates from Spain and is related to geographical locations. It is derived from multiple towns named Valenzuela in the provinces of Ciudad Real and Cordoba. The word Valenzuela is a diminutive of Valencia, a city on the eastern coast of Spain. The name Valencia itself comes from the Latin "Valentia," which means strength or valor. Therefore, Valenzuela could be translated as "little Valencia" or "little strength." Like many Spanish surnames, people could have acquired this surname by living near or in a town named Valenzuela. Alternatively, they may have taken the surname as a way to demonstrate their family's rootedness in that location. This surname has now spread to many Spanish-speaking countries due to historical immigration and colonial influences.
Order DNA origin analysisValenzuela: Where does the name Valenzuela come from?
The last name Valenzuela is most commonly found in Mexico and throughout Latin America today. In Mexico, it ranks among the 30 most common surnames, with a frequency of about 0.6% of the population bearing the last name. Valenzuela is also found throughout Central and South America, as well as among many diaspora populations. In the United States, the last name Valenzuela is the 97th-most-common, with an estimated 153,675 Americans bearing the name. The highest concentrations of Valenzuelas are in California (particularly Southern California), Texas, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico, where they are notable components of the large Hispanic populations. The last name Valenzuela can also be found in other heavily Hispanicized areas like Miami and New York City, as well as in smaller Hispanic communities around the country. Outside of the Americas, Valenzuela is found at very small rates in countries like Spain, Ecuador, and the Philippines.
Variations of the surname Valenzuela
The surname Valenzuela is derived from a place-name, and is thought to have originated in the medieval kingdom of Castile in what is now Spain. Valenzuela is a patronymic surname, meaning "son of Valenzuela". Variants of the surname Valenzuela are Valencuela, Valenzuelo, Valencio, and Valensuela.
The surname can also be spelled Valensuela, Valenzuelas, Valencio, Velensuela, Valenzuele, Velensuelo and Valenciello. In some cases, the “z” may be substituted with an “s”.
In some parts of Spain, you may find the surname Valensuelo, which is a lesser-known variant. The variant spelled Valenzuelo is particularly common in the Philippines.
In Latin America, you may see the surnames Valenzuelo, Valencio, Valenzuelas, Valensuela, Velenzuele or Valenciello. In the United States, you may more often encounter the variants Valensuela, Velensuela, Valenzuelas, Velenzuela, Velensuelo, or Valenciello.
In some cases, the surname Valenzuela may be corrupted to the form Valenzola, which is a very common variation in the United States and Latin America. There are also some cases in which the “z” in Valenzuela is dropped entirely and the surname becomes Valenuela.
The sound of the "z" also affects the second letter of the surname. Those with the variants Valensuela and Valenzuelas tend to drop the second "l," so the resulting surname becomes Valensuela or Valenzuelas.
It is also possible to Anglicize the surname Valenzuela to Valerie, Valeri or even Valencia. All of these are possible spelling variations which have come about due to changes in pronunciation or spelling over time.
Famous people with the name Valenzuela
- Fernando Valenzuela: A former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher who played from 1980-1997 for the Los Angeles Dodgers, California Angels, Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals and Minnesota Twins. He won the National League Rookie of the Year in 1981, was a five-time All-Star and won both the NL Caves Award and NL Cy Young Award in the same year (1981).
- Julio Cesar Chavez Valenzuela: A former professional boxer who competed from 1980-2005. Chavez won world titles in three weight classes, held the WBC super featherweight title from 1984-1989, the WBA and WBC light welterweight titles from 1989-1994, and the WBC light welterweight title from 1994-1996.
- Sabrina Valenzuela: A Canadian professional soccer player who currently plays for Utah Royals FC in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She previously played for Sky Blue FC in the NWSL and also had professional stints with Alashkert FC in Armenia and ADO Den Haag in the Netherlands.
- Guillermo Valenzuela: A Peruvian professional footballer who plays as a defender for the Peruvian first division club Universitario de Deportes. He has also represented Peru's national team at various youth levels since 2015.
- Armando Valenzuela: An American professional boxer who competed from 1979-1985. He held the WBA bantamweight title between 1979 and 1981 and was the first boxer to ever hold three world titles at the same time.
- Marcela Valenzuela: A Mexican singer-songwriter who began her career in 2013. Valenzuela has released four studio albums since then, most recently Lighthouse and Sun in 2018.
- Magaly Valenzuela: Columbian professional female boxer who currently holds the WBA interim super lightweight title. She has held the WBA Fedecatramm super featherweight title from 2011-2013 and the WIBA bantamweight title in 2016.
- Francisco Valenzuela: A Spanish former footballer who played professionally from 1952-1973 for clubs in Spain and France.
- Eddie Valenzuela: A former professional American soccer player who played in the United Soccer League, the North American Soccer League, and the American Professional Soccer League for various teams. He was also in the U.S. National Soccer Team.
- Jorge Valenzuela: An Argentinian musician, singer and songwriter who gained notoriety after becoming the lead vocalist of the band Los del Fuego in 2006.