Recorded in the spellings of Garcia, Garci, Garza, and Garces, this is a surname of Spanish origins, whose 'roots go back into the very mists of time. It is believed to be the most popular surname in the region, and this is not perhaps surprising as it derives from the word 'artz' meaning 'the bear'. The origins of the name are pre-historical, which is to say before any known writings, probably two thousand b.c., and relate to the times when man lived by hunting and fishing. In consequence these 'hunters' often became known by the names for the animals they hunted, and particularly when these were associated with strength, bravery and power.
The bear possessed all these qualities, as did the wolf and the lion, and all at one time or another found their way into the mythology and the later heraldry, of the different regions, and their surnames. Perhaps not surprisingly this surname was one of the first into the New World of the Americas. Examples of these recordings taken from civil and religious registers include Christabal Garcia at Asuncion, Districto Federal, Mexico, on November 14th 1645, Felipe Santiago Garcia at Mission San Carlos, Borroreo, California, on December 13th 1777, and Lopez Garcia at Santa Catarina, Mexico, on June 26th 1778. The coat of arms has the unusual blazon of a silver field charged with a flying bird of prey, inside a blue border, charged with a semee of saltires in gold. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Diego Garcia, which was dated August 29th 1624, at San Pablo Apostal, Mexico, during the reign of King Phillip 1V of Spain, Emperor of Mexico, 1621 - 1665. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
It derives from the Spanish patronymic surname García of Basque origins.
Very common surname in Latin America, in Argentina and Peru in particular, and also in the Philippines.
The surname Garcia is quite rare, but present throughout Italy and could have two lineages, in the Milan area and in the province of Rome.
Discovering the historical origins of Garcia is an incredibly exciting journey that takes us back to the ancestors and relatives who built this lineage. Like most surnames, the history of the surname Garcia is a thorny and surprising journey into the past in order to find out the origin of the surname Garcia, which leads us to have more knowledge about those who bear the surname Garcia, their origin, their coat of arms, the bibliography in which it appears... It is possible to trace their genealogy and, in addition to the original places of Garcia, we know where it is possible to find people with the surname Garcia today.
View complete list of Garcia in the world
The history of Garcia is an interesting sequence of events that were protagonized by the people who have held the surname Garcia throughout history, and it is possible to trace this history back to the first bearers of the surname Garcia. Their feats, their way of life, the places they lived, their family relationships, the jobs they held... All of this is crucial for anyone who, like you, is interested in having more information about the historical, heraldic, coat of arms, and nobility of the surname Garcia. In the following lines, you can find everything we have been able to compile about the surname Garcia. However, if you have more information that you would like to share, we would greatly appreciate your contribution to expand the knowledge of people who, like you, are looking to increase their knowledge about the surname Garcia.
Unfortunately, we do not have any more historical information about Garcia than the one we have provided with pleasure. We invite those who visit us on this website to analyze the recommended bibliography and to come back often, since we often receive valuable collaborations from other people interested in the origin and history of surnames that could have information of special interest about the surname Garcia, and that we would update on this website as soon as possible (after a previous verification). Similarly, if you consider yourself one of those people, we urge you to support us and send us the information about Garcia that is available to you, thanking you in advance for your detail.
There have probably been some significant Garcia throughout the history of humanity, even if, for some reason, not all of their contributions were included in the chronicles of the time or their data has not come down to the present day. Unfortunately, not all of the important contributions of people who have carried the surname Garcia were taken into account at the time by the chroniclers of the time. Although a surname has the ability to link a person to a famous lineage and a glorious coat of arms, it is individuals who, throughout their lives and by virtue of some outstanding or important achievements for the society in which they lived, give their surnames renown and it is possible to establish prominent lineages. For this reason, we want to highlight on this website those people with the surname Garcia who, for some reason, have left their mark on the course of history.
Based on all the research we have been able to gather so far, we can say that there is information available about the history, genealogy, and heraldry of the surname Garcia thanks to bibliographic sources. This means that we can discover more about its original meaning, origin, history, coat of arms, and heraldry. Our recommendation is to consult the following sources if you want to conduct research on the surname Garcia, as well as many other surnames:
These sources are essential for taking a step forward in the study of Garcia, and of surnames in general.