What is de la cruz last name?

De la Cruz is a Spanish last name which literally translates to "of the cross". This surname is believed to have originated from the district of Burgos, in the region of Castile and León, in Spain.

The origin of the surname dates back to the Catholic reconquest of Spain from the Moors in the 11th century when knights and soldiers fighting in the holy wars took the cross as their emblem of military valor. This emblem became the surname of their descendants.

De la Cruz is a fairly common last name in Spanish-speaking countries. It is often used as a middle name or second last name as part of the Hispanic naming tradition. Notable people with this surname include the Filipino author José de la Cruz, the Mexican-American musician Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, and the Spanish artist Juan de la Cruz.