Vargas History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Vargas

What does the name Vargas mean?

The original bearer of the name Vargas, which is a local surname, once lived, held land, or was born in the beautiful region of Spain. In Spain, hereditary surnames were adopted according to fairly general rules. Local names originally denoted the proprietorship of the village or estate. The name Vargas is a topographical name that was originally derived from the Spanish word varga, which is a dialectical word used in the northern part of the Iberian Peninsula for hut, slope or a fenced pasture land which becomes waterlogged in winter.

Early Origins of the Vargas family

The surname Vargas was first found in Cantabria, in north-central Spain.

Vargas Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Vargas, Varga and others.

Early Notables of the Vargas family

Prominent among members of the family

• was Garci de Vargas, legendary 13th century knight of the Reconquest, who accompanied King Ferdinand III during the taking of Seville
• Francisco Vargas, advisor to Queen Isabella
• Luis de Vargas, 16th century Spanish painter
• Urban de Vargas (1606-1656), a Spanish baroque composer
• Francisco Vargas Mejía, law professor and royal advisor to Charles V and Philip II
• Diego de Vargas Zapata y Luján Ponce de León y Contreras (1643-1704), commonly known as Don Diego de Vargas, the Spanish Governor of the New Spain territory of Santa Fe de Nuevo México (1691-1697) and…
• Dr. José Vargas, 19th century President of Venezuela
• Luis Vargas Tejada, 19th century Colombian poet and dramatist

Vargas World Ranking

In the United States, the name Vargas is the 260^th most popular surname with an estimated 101,967 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Vargas is ranked the 6,289^th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 – 1,500 people with that name. 2 And in South America, the name Vargas is the 92^nd popular surname with an estimated 51 people with that name. 3