Zelaya

Zelaya is a surname of Spanish origin. It is found in various Spanish-speaking countries and among people of Hispanic heritage. The name is most widely recognized in connection with Manuel Zelaya Rosales, born in 1953, a Honduran politician who served as the president of Honduras from 2006 until 2009. Zelaya's presidency ended following a constitutional crisis and military-led ouster in 2009. Since then, he has remained a notable figure in Honduran and regional politics.

Beyond Manuel Zelaya, the surname is borne by other individuals in the Spanish-speaking world, and it may appear in different forms or as part of compound surnames. The name’s public association is primarily through political figures in Latin America, though it can also appear in various professional fields and communities. As with many surnames of its type, Zelaya serves as an identifier linking people to familial and regional histories rather than conveying a single, uniform meaning.