Map of Spain showing where the Valenzuela arms are recorded
The Valenzuela arms were recorded in Andalusia, c. 1722.
Andalusia was the last part of Spain taken back from the Moors, and the land was shared out among the men who took it. A grant of land came with a grant of arms, so the region produced a great many.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in Spain in this period.
Philip V of Spain
Sovereign of the period
Philip V of Spain
1714–1724
Reigning in Spain when the Valenzuela arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Spain
In Spain, a coat of arms was considered a form of property that belonged to the entire family line. These arms were passed down from a father to all his children equally. Younger branches of the family usually kept the original design without needing to add any special marks to distinguish their specific line.
Granting authority
The Cronista Rey de Armas was the official body that regulated and granted coats of arms throughout Spain.
How they got arms
Families often obtained their arms through royal grants or by proving their noble status to the official heraldic authority.
Where arms were recorded
Coats of arms were officially recorded in the registers of the Cronista Rey de Armas starting in 1496.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Andalusia.
Origin & History of the Valenzuela Family in Spain
The surname Valenzuela originates from the town of the same name located in the province of Córdoba, Spain. During the medieval period, it was common for families to adopt the name of their place of origin as a way to identify their roots. By the early 18th century, the family was well-established in the Andalusia region, where they were deeply integrated into the local agricultural and social systems. Historical records from 1722 confirm that members of the family were active participants in the community life of this southern Spanish territory. As the family grew, many individuals migrated throughout the Iberian Peninsula and eventually across the Atlantic, carrying the name to various parts of the Spanish Empire. This movement helped the name transition from a local geographical identifier into a widespread family lineage that remains prominent today.
Valenzuela Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Valentia
Latin term meaning strength, vigor, or capacity.
This name
ValenzuelaDerived from a place name meaning small valley or place of strength.
also spelled
Valensuela
Valenz
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Moll, Francesc de Borja, Els llinatges catalans: Catalunya, País Valencià, Illes Balears, 1959
Archivo de la Real Chancillería de Granada, Registro de Ejecutorias, 1722
Faure, Roberto, Diccionario de apellidos españoles, 2001
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lionCourage, strength and royalty
lionCourage, strength and royalty
