Barrera Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Barrera last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Barrera last name
Meaning of the Barrera last name: "barrier, clay pit". Barrera is a Spanish surname for someone who lived by a barrier or fence, or by a barrera, a pit where clay was dug. Several hamlets carry the name. The last name is common in Andalusia, Castile and Catalonia, and very widespread in Mexico and Colombia.
Arms associated with the Barrera name
Spanish heraldry loves canting arms that echo a name, a custom seen in coats of arms linked with Barrera.
Get your full Barrera family history
This is only a glimpse of the Barrera story. The full Barrera history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Barrera coat of arms. Get the full Barrera report.
Barrera name FAQ
What does the Barrera name mean?
"barrier, clay pit". Common variants include Barreras, Barreira.
Where does the Barrera surname come from?
It originates in Spain, and is also found in Mexico, Colombia and Chile.
Is there a Barrera coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Barrera coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Roberto Faure, María Asunción Ribes & Antonio García, Diccionario de apellidos españoles (Espasa, 2001); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).