Barela
A surname of likely Spanish-language origin, probably tied to a place name or local geographic feature.
The #4,586 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 39,895 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Barela is best understood as a Spanish surname, though its exact origin is not certain without early local records. It may derive from a place name or from a regional toponym formed with the Romance suffix -ela/-ela, pointing to a small locality or landscape feature. In many Spanish surnames of this type, the family name began as an identifier for someone from a particular village or estate.
History
The surname is most commonly associated today with Spanish- and Hispanic American communities, especially in the southwestern United States and Latin America. Its presence in the U.S. likely reflects migration from Spanish-speaking regions over several centuries. Because it is relatively uncommon, local family histories may preserve the key clue to its exact place of origin.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Barela is uncommon enough that many bearers today may share a surname without sharing a single well-documented ancestral homeland.