Saavedra (surname)

Saavedra is a Galician surname, meaning 'old hall' (Latin: Sala Vetera > Saa Vedra; Sala is of Germanic origin), equivalent to Spanish Salavieja, which has exactly the same meaning. The loss of intervocalic L is characteristic of Galician-Portuguese. The surname Saa (Sá in modern Portuguese orthography) is also common.

Notable people with the surname include:

• Angel V. Saavedra, Cuban-American Spy for the CIA. Former councilman Patterson New Jersey 1965.
• Abelardo Saavedra, American school district superintendent
• Álvaro de Saavedra Cerón (dead 1529), Spanish explorer
• Asya and Chloe Saavedra, American musicians, members of Chaos Chaos
• Carlos Saavedra Gutiérrez (born 1986), Puerto Rican lawyer, Secretary of Labor of Puerto Rico (2017–2019)
• Catalina Saavedra (born 1968), Chilean television and film actress
• Cornelio Saavedra (1761–1829), Argentine soldier and politician
• Cornelio Saavedra Rodríguez (1823–1891), Chilean soldier, grandson of Cornelio Saavedra
• Craig Saavedra (born 1963), American film director
• Daniel Ortega, full name José Daniel Ortega Saavedra (born 1945), Nicaraguan politician
• Diego de Saavedra Fajardo (1584–1648), Spanish diplomat
• Erwin Saavedra (born 1996), Bolivian footballer
• Felipe Saavedra (born 1996), Chilean footballer
• Francisco Saavedra de Sangronis (1746–1819), Spanish diplomat and administrator
• Guillermo Saavedra (footballer) (1903–1957), Chilean footballer
• Guillermo Saavedra (poet) (born 1960), Argentine poet
• Héctor Puebla Saavedra (born 1955), Chilean footballer
• Hernando Arias de Saavedra (1561–1634), governor of the Río de la Plata in 1592–1594, 1597–1599, 1602–1609, 1615–1617, 1617–1618
• Ignacio Saavedra (born 1999), Chilean footballer
• Igor Saavedra (born 1966), Chilean musician
• Jerónimo Saavedra (1936–2023), Spanish politician, president of the Canary Islands (1983-1987, 1991-1993)
• José Alfredo Saavedra (born 1964), Honduran politician
• José Vilalta Saavedra (1865–1912), Cuban sculptor
• Luis Saavedra (1935–2013), Spanish footballer
• Michael Paul Saavedra Firefighter Paramedic, Storm Chaser, Master of Disaster, Miami Beach Firefighter
• Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547–1616), Spanish writer, author of Don Quixote
• Nélson Saavedra (born 1988), Chilean footballer
• Omar Saavedra Santis (1944–2021), Chilean writer
• Raúl Saavedra (born 1978), Argentinian football defender
• Raúl Saavedra (cyclist) (born 1969), Colombian road cyclist
• Sebastián Saavedra (born 1990), Colombian race car driver
• Sergio Saavedra (1927–2022), Chilean politician
• Sergio Saavedra (athlete) (born 1968), Venezuelan triple jumper
• Onchie Saavedra (born 1990), Filipino Seafarer