Banderas

Banderas is a Spanish cognate of the English surname Banner, both derived from an occupational name for a flag carrier. The root name Banner comes from the Old French baniere, meaning “banner,” ultimately of Germanic origin. In Spanish, banderas is literally a plural noun meaning “flags,” which gave rise to the surname as a toponymic or occupational designation.

The surname Banderas is most famously borne by Spanish actor Antonio Banderas, known for his roles in films such as The Mask of Zorro and Desperado. His prominence has brought the name into global recognition. Other notables include Mexican-American actor Damián Banderas and Ferid Banderas, a German musician. In Spanish-speaking countries, the surname is moderately distributed, particularly in Andalusia and the Americas.

This surname covers the term banderas (flags), related to bandera as the singular form. Historically, those who bore such surnames were likely involved with v. banners or flags for military standards representatives, heraldry. Related variants in other languages include the Dutch Baanders and the English Banner. In addition to being a personal name, Banderas also refers to a river in El Salvador that shares the same spelling.