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. 2People with the surname Alberto Cruz (disambiguation), multiple people Adam Cruz, American jazz drummer Adolfo Schewelm Cruz (1923–2012), Argentine Formula One race car driver Alejandro Cruz (born 1997), American semi-professional MMA fighter Alex Cruz (disambiguation), multiple people Alexis Cruz (born 1974), Puerto Rican-American actor Angel Cruz, a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 180th District Arturo Cruz (1923–2013), Nicaraguan rebel leader Áurea Cruz (born 1982), Puerto Rican volleyball player Tony Sunshine (Antonio Cruz, born 1977), Puerto Rican R&B singer Beatriz Cruz (born 1980), Puerto Rican track and field athlete Bobby Cruz (born 1937), Puerto Rican salsa singer and religious minister Brandon Cruz (born 1962), American actor and musician Carlos Cruz (disambiguation), multiple people Catalina Cruz (actress) (born 1979), Slovenian-American pornographic actress Celia Cruz (1924–2003), Cuban salsa singer Claudia Cruz (born 1986), Dominican Miss World contestant 2004 Dominick Cruz (born 1985), American professional mixed martial artist Donna Cruz (born 1977), Filipina actress and singer Edvandro Cruz (born 1978), Brazilian mountaine biker Ella Cruz (born 1996), Filipino Actress Ernesto Gómez Cruz (born 1933), Mexican actor Eva Cruz (born 1974), Puerto Rican volleyball player Flavio Cruz (born 1982), Portuguese volleyball player Frank Cruz (born c. 1959), American college baseball coach Gaspar da Cruz (ca. 1520–1570), Portuguese Dominican friar, author of the first European book on China Gemma Cruz, Filipino crowned Miss International Geneva Cruz (born 1976), Filipino actress and singer Ileana D'Cruz, Indian actress from Goa Inmaculada Cruz (1960–2013), Spanish politician Iohana Cruz (born 1980), Cuban diver Isagani Cruz (c. 1924 – 2013), Filipino judge Jacqueline Cruz Silva (born 1962), Brazilian beach volleyball player Jason Cruz (born 1974), American musician, artist, poet Jesse Cruz, birth name of Ricky Belmonte (1947–2001), Filipino actor Joaquim Cruz (born 1963), Brazilian athlete and Olympic gold medal winner John Lloyd Cruz (born 1983), Filipino actor José Cruz also known as Cheo Cruz (born 1947), Puerto Rican baseball player José Cruz, J