García

García is a Spanish surname that is among the most common in the Spanish-speaking world. It is widely found in Spain and across Latin America and has spread to other regions through migration and settlement.

The exact origin of García is uncertain. It is generally thought to derive from a medieval given name García, which itself is believed to have Basque roots. The meaning of the root name is not established, and the surname appears under various spellings in historical records. In Spanish orthography the surname is written with an accent on the i (García); in non-Spanish contexts the accent is often dropped.

García is extremely common in Spain and in many Latin American countries such as Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Peru and Chile. It is also prevalent among people of Hispanic descent in the United States and elsewhere. The name is used in numerous place names and institutions in Spanish-speaking regions.

Notable people with the surname García include Gabriel García Márquez (1927–2014), the Colombian novelist and Nobel laureate; Sergio García (born 1980), the Spanish professional golfer; and Andrés García (1932–2023), the Mexican actor.