Herrera is a Spanish surname meaning 'ironworker' or 'blacksmith,' derived from the trade. It originated as a Spanish form of Ferreira, a Portuguese and Galician surname that denoted a person from a town near an iron mine, ultimately from Latin ferrum meaning 'iron.' Etymology The surname Herrera comes from the Spanish word herrería ('ironworks' or 'smithy'), which itself evolved from ferrería, a derivative of ferrero ('blacksmith'). This points to an occupational origin, referring to someone who worked with iron. The name is comparable to the Portuguese Ferreira and the Spanish variants Fierro and Hierro (both meaning 'iron'). Geographic Distribution Herrera is a very common surname in Spain and throughout the Spanish-speaking world. According to the 2010 United States Census, it is the 129th most common surname in the U.S., with 192,711 bearers, the vast majority (93.03%) identifying as Hispanic or Latino. Notable Bearers Notable individuals with the surname include artist Fernando Herrera, baseball player Oswaldo Herrera, and as a given name for a tropical storm, Hurricane Tropical Storm Herrera. Meaning: ironworker, blacksmith Origin: Spanish Type: Occupational surname Usage regions: Spain, Latin America, United States, Philippines