Peña or de la Peña is a Spanish

Spain

Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

 habitation surname. The origin of the surname can be traced directly to the Middle Ages

Middle Ages

The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...

. The earliest public record of the surname dates to the XIII century in the Valley de Mena (Burgos) in the Kingdom of Castile

Kingdom of Castile

Kingdom of Castile was one of the medieval kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula. It emerged as a political autonomous entity in the 9th century. It was called County of Castile and was held in vassalage from the Kingdom of León. Its name comes from the host of castles constructed in the region...

. The Peñas lived, originally, near a cliff or rocky land. Records indicate that the name derives from the Spanish word peña meaning "rock," "crag" or "cliff."

The bearers of this surname proved their noble descent in the Order of Saint James of the Sword in 1626, 1629, 1651 and 1657; in the Order of Calatrava

Order of Calatrava

The Order of Calatrava was the first military order founded in Castile, but the second to receive papal approval. The papal bull confirming the Order of Calatrava as a Militia was given by Pope Alexander III on September 26, 1164.-Origins and Foundation:...

, in 1657, 1687, 1688, 1700 and 1785; in the Order of Alcántara

Order of Alcántara

The Order of Alcántara , also called the Knights of St. Julian, was originally a military order of León, founded in 1166 and confirmed by Pope Alexander III in 1177.-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 Audiencia and Chancillería of Valladolid

Royal Audiencia and Chancillería of Valladolid

The Royal Audiencia and Chancellería of Valladolid was a Spanish judicial institution set up in Valladolid in 1371, with jurisdiction over all of the territories of the Crown of Castile. It was the first Spanish audiencia to be established...

; in the Royal Audience of Oviedo, in 1788 and 1795; and in the Royal Company of Midshipmen in 1767.

Notable Peñas

• Luis Sáenz Peña
  Luis Sáenz Peña
  Luis Sáenz Peña was a lawyer and President of Argentina.He graduated in law from the University of Buenos Aires, and participated in the constitutional assembly of 1860. He was a number of times a national deputy and senator. In 1882 he occupied a seat on the Supreme Court of the Province of...
  
   (1822-1907), President of Argentina (1892-1895)
• Manuel de la Peña y Peña (1789-1850), interim president of Mexico from September to November 1847 and president from January 1848 to June 1848
• José de la Peña y Aguayo (1801-1853), Spanish abogado, Member of Parliament and Lord Chancellor.
• Manuel la Peña
  Manuel la Peña
  Manuel la Peña , sometimes referred to as Lapeña, was a Spanish military officer who served during the Peninsular War . Although widely regarded as incompetent, he rose through the Spanish army's ranks to become Captain General of Andalusia...
  
   (1808-1811), or Lapeña, was a Spanish military officer who served during the Peninsular War
• Pedro Pablo Peña Cañete (1864-1943), President of Paraguay (1912)
• Ramón María del Valle-Inclán y de la Peña, Marquess de Bradomin, (1866–1936), Spanish dramatist, novelist and member of the Spanish Generation of 98
• Roque Sáenz Peña
  Roque Sáenz Peña
  Roque Sáenz Peña Lahitte was President of Argentina from 12 October 1910 to 9 August 1914, when he died in office...
  
  (1851 - 1914), President of Argentina (1910-1914)

Holders of Spanish titles of nobility in the XXI 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)

Further reading

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

External links

• http://www.4crests. com/pena-family-crest-coat-arms.html
• Origins and history of the Spanish coat of arms (in Spanish)