Peña (surname)


Peña or de la Peña is a Spanish habitation surname. The origin of the surname can be traced directly to the Middle Ages. The earliest public record of the surname dates to the 13th century in the Valley de Mena in the Kingdom of Castile. The origin of the last name is in present-day Galicia, Spain. The Peñas lived, originally, near a cliff or rocky land. Records indicate that the name derives from the Spanish word peña meaning "rock," "crag" or "cliff."
The bearers of this surname proved their noble descent in the Order of Saint James of the Sword in 1626, 1629, 1651 and 1657; in the Order of Calatrava, in 1657, 1687, 1688, 1700 and 1785; in the Order of Alcántara in 1644 and 1693 and in the Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Carlos III, in 1790 and 1838; and many times in the Royal Audiencia and Chancillería of Valladolid; in the Royal Audience of Oviedo, in 1788 and 1795; and in the Royal Company of Midshipmen in 1767.
The Peñas have a great presence in Mexico. There are two towns most notably that are full of Peña families. One is in the town called Talpa, Jalisco and the other is Las Varas, Nayarit. They have been known to be wealthy property owners.

Notable Peñas

People with surname de la Peña or Peña holding a title of nobility in Spain at present include: