Pineda

Pineda is a Spanish surname and toponym that denotes a pine grove or pine forest. The place-name meaning derives from the Spanish pino, meaning pine, combined with a suffix that indicates a location associated with those trees. The form is common in Spain and Latin American countries, reflecting the historical presence of pine forests in many regions.

Geography and usage. The most well-known locality bearing the name is Pineda de Mar, a coastal municipality in Catalonia, Spain, situated in the Maresme comarca near the Costa del Maresme and the city of Barcelona. Beyond Pineda de Mar, the name Pineda appears in various other places in the Spanish-speaking world, typically referring to areas characterized by pine trees. As a surname, Pineda is widely found among people of Hispanic heritage and in communities with Spanish-speaking ancestry, often carried by individuals in politics, sports, arts, and academia.

Notable usages and distribution. Pineda is among the common Spanish surnames and is found across Europe, the Americas, and other regions due to migration and cultural exchange. The name can appear in historical records, contemporary media, and genealogical sources, sometimes with regional spellings or diacritical marks depending on language and country. Overall, Pineda reflects a natural landscape feature that historically linked families and settlements to pine-dominated environments.