2010

Mi research about the last name

There isn’t really a lot of documentation regarding the Benumea Last Name.

Luckily, it is not very common, and that kinds of make it easier to connect information from here and there... but on the other hand, the information is scarce.

What I put in this page are the fruits of that personal research, including other people’s views and even some speculation.

Any addition, correction or improvement on the information on this page, is highly welcome and greatly appreciated.

Most likely, the first person who used the Benhumea last name (or a pretty close form) was Aben Humeya. He was born in 1520 AD, and his name was Fernando de Cordoba y Valor. He leaded the Alpujarras rebellion, started when it was prohibited in Spain the use of the arab language, as well as the Islamic customs and religion.

Fernando’s family was moorish, that means that they used to be muslims later converted to catholicism, but of whom were suspected to still be practicing Islam secretly. After the prohibition and subsequent rebellion, Fernando adopted openly the Islamic religion, and since his family came from the Omeya, he took their name.

Aben Humeya (in arab, Ibn Umayya) was named King of Granada and Cordoba in 1568.

In the ceremony, the crowd exclaimed:

                            "Long live the king D. Fernando Muley Aben Humeya!"

So, it seems pretty close to Benhumea. Although I would love to say that the last name comes from him (and so I would be able to brag about the Royalty last name Benumea), I haven’t been able to find descendents from Aben. He had a wife, and even a mistress, but haven’t located any records of children. He was betrayed and murdered so that doesn’t make it easier. There’s even a written play for him, and in the play he had a daughter (who was anyway apparently killed when his father was betrayed)

So, it seems highly unlikely that the Benhumea last name comes from him, and it is more reasonable to think that it came directly from the Omeya from Cordoba. Benjumea would simply be the translation to Spanish of Banu Umayyah, “Sons of Omeya”, also “Omeya dnasty”.

The oldest record I’ve found from a Benjumea, was from Ynes Benjumea Vargas, who lived around 1500. She married to Luis Verdugo Mendoza. It seems that she was the second wife, and (I’m not sure if that was the reason) to their first son they named Sebastian Benjumea Verdugo (as opposed to naming him Verdugo Benjumea, as it would have been customary).

Sebastian was born in Palma del rio, but his son Garcia and his grandson Diego were born in Puebla de Cazalla. A great percentage of Ynes descendants are registered there.

To the New Spain.

How the last name was brought to the new world it’s even harder to find.

It seems probable that arrived to Mexico City first, and I found some records around 1590 regarding and expedition to New Mexico, lead by Juan de Oñate. That expedition established El paso del Norte and Santa Fe.

2 men were part of that expedition: Gonzalo Fernandez Benhumea and his son Sebastian de Benjumea. Gonzalo was 53 years old, so his DOB should have around 1547. The record of the expedition shows that Gonzalo was native of Puebla de Cazalla. It wouldn’t bee a long shot to assume that he was related to Ynes.

If your last name is Benumea, you will understand how difficult is to find information about the last name, and I haven’t been able to find a military insignia or documentation of famous people with the last name. Again, any information that can enhance the information on this  page is welcome and truly appreciated.

Yes, we are truly rare species but not endangered ones.

UPDATE: I have a new version of the Family Tree.

(Click on the image below to open. Depending on your browser, you may need to click on the image again to enlarge)

Please send your additions / corrections to memo@benumea.com