de la Peña

de la Peña

Origin
Word/name	Old Spanish
Meaning	"Cliff, Crag, Rock"
Region of origin	Burgos, Castile

de la Peña or Peña is a surname of Spanish origin.

History

The origin of the surname de la Peña (also Peña) can be traced directly to the Middle Ages. The earliest public record of the surname dates to the 13th century in the Valley de Mena (Burgos) in the Kingdom of Castile. The bearers of this surname proved their noble descent in the Military Order of Saint James of the Sword in 1626, 1629, 1651 and 1657; in the Military Order of Calatrava, in 1657, 1687, 1688, 1700 and 1785; in the Order of Alcántara in 1644 and 1693 and in the Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Carlos III, in 1790 and 1838; and many times in the Royal Chancery of Valladolid; in the Royal Audience of Oviedo, in 1788 and 1795; and in the Royal Company of Midshipmen in 1767.

Notable Peñas in history

• Captain General Don Manuel la Peña (1808–1811), sometimes referred to as Lapeña, was a Spanish military officer who served during the Peninsular War (Guerra de la Independencia Española).
• Don Manuel de la Peña y Peña (1789–1850) was a Mexican politician and lawyer, interim president of Mexico from September to November 1847 and president from January 1848 to June 1848.
• Don Lucas de Zafra-Vazquez y Tallada, de la Plaza y de la Peña, Marquess de los Arenales, Señor de Castril in Granada.
• Don Ramón María del Valle-Inclán y de la Peña, Marquess de Bradomin, (1866–1936) was a Spanish dramatist, novelist and member of the Spanish Generation of 98.
• Don Gaspar Castellano y de la Peña, Count de Castellano was a Spanish author.
• Don José González de la Peña y Rodríguez de la Encina, Barón de Forna (1887–1961) was an acclaimed Spanish portrait painter and artist. He was also consul general of Spain in Venezuela.
• Luis Sáenz Peña (1822–1907), President of Argentina (1892–1895)
• Roque Sáenz Peña (1851–1914), President of Argentina (1910–1914)
• Pedro Pablo Peña Cañete (1864–1943), President of Paraguay (1912)
• Don Alfonso Peña Boeuf (1888–1966) was Minister of Transport in the Spanish Government (1938–1945) during the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco.
• Don Ricardo Enrique Pallasa de la Peña III (1853–1898), Barón de Azucar and General of the Spanish Naval fleet in the Philippines (1893–1898)
• Don Pedro Juan de la Peña (1855–1945), Personal chef to King Alfonso XIII (1885-1905)
• José Manuel Castañón de la Peña (1920–2001), was a Spanish writer born in Pola de Lena (Asturias) who lived in exile in Venezuela during the Franco dictatorship.

Holders of Spanish titles of nobility in the 21st century

People with surname de la Peña or Peña holding a title of nobility in Spain at present include:

• Don Ramiro Pérez-Maura y de la Peña, Grandee of Spain, Duke de Maura and Count de Mortera (Granted in 1930 and 1876 respectively)
• Don Antonio González de Aguilar y de la Peña, Marquess de Arenal (Granted in 1847)
• Don Magín Peña y Lorca, Marquess de Ogijares (Granted in 1889)
• Doña Marina Peña y Paradela, Countess de Gaviria (Granted in 1837)
• Doña Helena de la Peña y Robles, Countess de Xauen (Granted in 1929)
• Doña Matilde Francisca Barriouevo y Peña, Vincountess de Barrionuevo (Granted in 1891)
• Don Reynaldo Enriques De la Pena, oldest son, last with royal family blood
  • married to Edwina Sibal Torres, bore two daughters.
  • Raydelwina Torres De la Pena, emancipated herself 1992
  • Maria Rowena Torres De la Pena, only blood heir disappeared from Philippines 1992-1993

Bibliography

• Elenco de grandezas y títulos nobiliarios españoles 2006 (Ampelio Alonso de Cadenas y López/Hidalguía)
• Blasonario de la consanguinidad ibérica 1980