Cruz
The Christian Cross
PronunciationSpanish: IPA: [kɾuθ] or [kɾus]
Portuguese: IPA: [kɾuʃ]
Language(s)Spanish, Portuguese.
Origin
MeaningCross
Region of originSpain, Portugal
Other names
Variant form(s)"Vera Cruz", "Santa Cruz", "De la Cruz"

Cruz is a surname of Iberian origin, first found in Castile, Spain, but later spread throughout the territories of the former Spanish and Portuguese Empires. In Spanish and Portuguese, the word means "cross", either the Christian cross or the figure of transecting lines or ways. For example, in the Philippines, the adopted Tagalog word is rendered to "krus" in plain usage, but the Spanish spelling survives as a surname.

The word "Cruz" (Spanish for "Cross"), as well as "Vera Cruz" ("True Cross") and "Santa Cruz" ("Holy Cross") are used as surnames and toponyms. Its origin as a surname particularly flourished after the Alhambra Decree of 1492 and the increasing activities of the Spanish Inquisition, when New Christian families with Crypto-Jewish, Moorish, and/or mixed religious heritage converted to the state-enforced religion of Catholicism and subsequently fashioned and adopted surnames with unambiguous religious affiliation.

People with the surname

General

Arts

General

  • Amina Cruz, American photographer
  • Claudia Cruz (born 1986), Dominican Miss World contestant 2004
  • Gaspar da Cruz (ca. 1520–1570), Portuguese Dominican friar, author of the first European book on China
  • Gemma Cruz, Filipino crowned Miss International
  • Lizania Cruz, Dominican artist
  • Nilo Cruz (born 1962), Cuban-American playwright and Pulitzer prize winner

Actors and Actresses

General
American
Filipino

Musical Artists

General
  • Celia Cruz (1924-2003), Cuban salsa singer
  • Simon Cruz, Swedish singer of glam metal band Crashdïet
  • Taio Cruz, British singer (born Adetayo Ayowale O. A. Onile-Ere)
American
  • Adam Cruz, American jazz drummer
  • Tony Sunshine (Antonio Cruz, born 1977), Puerto Rican R&B singer
  • Bobby Cruz (born 1937), Puerto Rican salsa singer and religious minister
  • Jason Cruz (born 1974), American musician, artist, poet

Politicians

  • Angel Cruz, a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 180th District
  • Benjamin Cruz (born 1951), Guamanian politician
  • Catalina Cruz (born 1980s), New York politician
  • Gina Cruz Blackledge (born 1969), Mexican politician, Senator from Baja California since 2018
  • Inmaculada Cruz (1960–2013), Spanish politician
  • Ted Cruz (born 1970), (Rafael Edward Cruz) Canadian-American politician and United States Senator from Texas since 2013

Sports

Baseball

Volleyball

As a given name

Fictional characters

See also

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