Vega – Origin and meaning of the surname

The surname Vega is a toponymic surname, that is, a surname that refers to a place. This surname comes from the Spanish word vega, a geographical term that refers to a flat riverbank or low, flat land, generally crossed by a river and, therefore, very fertile, frequently used for cultivating orchards.

There are a large number of places in the world, towns and even entire cities called Vega or some variation of this term (such as Las Vegas, in the state of Nevada in the United States or Vega Baja, the so-called “City of Melao Melao ” In Puerto Rico). There are also regions that fit the geographic description of the term that locals refer to as vega or la vega.

In this sense, the surname Vega is generally indicative of origin from one of these places. That is, it can mean “inhabitant of the meadow” or its similar expression “inhabitant of the meadow”.

Origin of the name Vega

The surname Vega is of Spanish origin. He comes from a region of the peninsula called the Tierra de Campos region, which is located between the provinces of Palencia, León and Valladolid. It is, therefore, a very common surname in the Iberian Peninsula, ranking 63rd among the first 100 most common surnames in Spain.

Vega family coat of arms

There are different variations of the coat of arms of the Vega surname. Most of these shields have in common the Latin phrase Ave Maria gratia plena , which translates to “Hail Mary full of grace”, the opening phrase of the main prayer to the Virgin Mary in the Catholic religion.

The background can vary in four different ways. Some show a field of gules or bright red, others a field of azure or intense blue, others show fields of sinople or green, while others have a field of silver or gold, that is, white or gold.

The last name Vega around the world

According to Forebears, Mexico, Colombia, and the United States are the three countries where there is a higher total incidence of the surname Vega. Only in Mexico there are around 292,000 people with this last name, while in Colombia and the United States there are 108,000 and 105,000, respectively. In Spain, his country of origin, there are around 68,000 people with the surname Vega.

In proportion to the other local surnames, the countries in which the Vega surname is most common are Puerto Rico (where Vega ranks 23rd among the most common surnames in the country), Panama (where it ranks 29th), and Costa Rica ( where it ranks 31). He is followed by Chile (where he ranks 46th) and finally Cuba and Argentina (where he ranks 47th).

Variants of the surname Vega in Spain and Latin America

There are several variants for this surname. Despite the fact that many people have the last name Vega, just plain, there are also many who go by the last name “de la Vega”. On the other hand, the plural form, Vegas, is also relatively common, while Végaz is used in some countries.

Famous people with the last name Vega

• Sebastian Vega . Colombian actor.
• Alexis Vega . Mexican soccer player.
• Alexa Vega . American actress.
• Amelia Vega . Dominican model and Miss Universe 2003.
• Suzanne Vega . American singer
• Leandro Vega . Argentinean soccer player
• Peace Vega . Spanish actress and finalist for Master Chef Celebrity Spain.
• Tony Vega . Puerto Rican singer.
• Garcilaso de la Vega . Spanish soldier and poet of the 16th century.

Vega Family Genealogy and Resources

There are many useful tools on the web for anyone who wants to learn more about the Vega last name or any other. Some of them are:

• FamilySearch – This free site specializes in genealogy and heraldry and has about 2.5 million historical records, family trees, and other data.
• RootsWeb: In this portal there are family trees, forums, mailing lists and several other resources to continue investigating the Vega surname.
• GeneaNet: This online platform has DNA data, family trees, archival records, and more information about the Vega surname and many others.

References

The Sun of Zacatecas. (2020, December 16). Heraldry of the day; Origin and meaning of the surname Vega . https://www.elsoldezacatecas.com.mx/cultura/heraldica-del-dia-origen-y-significado-del-apellido-vega-historia-cultura-familias-arbol-genealogico-escudo-de-armas-espana- mexico-latin-america-6141281.html

Forebears. (nd). Vega Surname Origin, Meaning and Surname History . https://forebears.io/en/surnames/vega

My last names. (2015). Vegan meaning . https://www.misapellidos.com/meaning-of-Vega-16151.html

MyHound.com. (2022, January 28). Origin, brief history, coat of arms and meaning of the last name Vega . https://www.misabueso.com/nombres/apellido_vega.html

Plusesmas.com. (nd). Vega family coat of arms . https://www.plusesmas.com/genealogia/escudos/vega/47811/

Meaning of Names. (nd). VEGA Surname Meaning and Origin . https://meaningofnames.org/vega-meaning-of-the-surname-y-origen/