Vergara family
| Vergara family | |
|---|---|
| Aristocracy, political family | |
| Country | Spain Colombia Chile United States |
| Current region | Americas and Europe |
| Earlier spellings | Bergara |
| Etymology | Elevated Fern |
| Place of origin | Vergara, Guipúzcoa, Spain |
The Vergara or Vergara-Azcárate family is a Hispanic noble lineage that traces its origins to the medieval kingdoms of Navarre and Castile and established an influential branch in the New Kingdom of Granada (present-day Colombia) in the 17th century. The family is spread across several branches in Spain, Colombia, Chile and the US.
The Vergara family is considered as one of the first families of Spaniards in the Americas that arrived first as conquistadors, then as royal officers of the Spanish crown. The Vergara Family have produced four presidents of Colombia by the same surname; and three more related by blood. Another branch is considered amongst the founding families of Chile.
Originally from basque and navarrese lineages, more specifically from Bergara, a municipality in Basque Country. Vergara is a toponymic named after the Spanish version of the Basque region of Bergara found in Gipuzkoa, Basque Country. In Spain, many families adopted this trend of using a toponymic surname to associate themselves with a place or a noble house.