The Prieto Coat of Arms and Name Meaning
Discover the meaning of Prieto, its origins in Spain, and the story behind a Prieto family crest.
Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Prieto coat of arms for you.
Origin of the Prieto name
Prieto means "dark, blackish" in Spanish and began as a nickname for someone with a dark complexion or black hair. The surname is common in Castile and León, Andalusia and Extremadura, and is well established in Mexico and other parts of Latin America.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Prieto name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Prieto name in Spain. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as Mexico, Argentina and the United States; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
Get your full Prieto family history
The complete Prieto pack goes much further: documented origins, early records and family spread, plus a hand-checked coat of arms.
Prieto name FAQ
What does the Prieto name mean?
Dark-complexioned. Common variants include Prieta, Preto, Prietos.
Where does the Prieto surname come from?
It originates in Spain, and is also found in Mexico, Argentina and the United States.
Is there a Prieto coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Prieto crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Prieto coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: Roberto Faure, María Asunción Ribes & Antonio García, Diccionario de apellidos españoles (Espasa, 2001); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).