Daniel Ortega

Roberto Faure, coauthor of the Diccionario de Apellidos Españoles, states that Ortega is derived from the noun ortega, a spelling variant of the modern Castilian Spanish ortiga "nettle". The name of the plant is found as a toponym in various places in Spain, such as Ortega (Burgos), Ortega (Jaén) or Ortega (Monfero, A Coruña). Mexican author Gutierre Tibón advanced the alternative theory that the name derives from Ortún, earlier Fortún, from the Latin name Fortunius with an added suffix "-eca". The Dictionary of American Surnames additionally states that the name may derive from ortega: "black grouse."

The first Bishop of Almería, Juan de Ortega, died in the early 16th century, while another early occurrence is found in the baptismal record of Phelpa de Ortega, dated 2 March 1570 at Santa Maria Magdalena, Valladolid, Spain, during the reign of King Philip II of Spain. Other early records are found in Carrión de los Condes, Palencia. The name subsequently appears throughout Spain, especially in Castile, Andalusia and Murcia, as well as México and Latin America.

According to the Diccionario de Heráldica Aragonesa by Bizén d'O Río Martínez, there were two Aragonese lines using the surname, one of which was infanzon. Both lines originated in Cinco Villas and bore coats of arms that were variants of each other. One line is in Gallur in the 18th century, and in Tauste in the 19th century. The other is attested from 1626 in various locations in Aragón.

Ortega shield (quartered)

There were three arms-bearing families called Ortega. Their coat of arms were as follows:

• In a field of blue, six bands of gold and a red border of gules with 10 saltire crosses of gold.
• Divided horizontally, a gold fleur de lis on a blue background on the left side, and a black wheel on a gold background on the right. The entire shield has a silver border decorated with black ermine marks. These Ortegas were found primarily in Aragón at Gallur, Tauste, and originating in the Cinco Villas.
• Divided in quarters, with the gold fleur de lis on blue in the upper left and lower right, and the black wheel on gold in upper right and lower left. This shield also has the silver ermine border. The full coat of arms includes a helmet with three ostrich feathers and an armored arm holding a sword, above a crown of the Count. These Ortegas came from the Carrión de los Condes in the province of Palencia, moving to Castresana de Losa in the province of Burgos, all in the autonomous community of Castile-Leon, later branching to other autonomous communities in Spain. This coat of arms can be found among the Ortegas in the New World, a line bearing titles of Condes de Ortigueira y Monterroso, Valle de Oploca y Santa María de Guadalupe del Peñasco.

Politicians

• Carlos Ortega (born c. 1945), Venezuelan union and political leader
• Cynthia Ortega (b. 1956), Dutch politician
• Daniel Ortega (born 1945), past and present President of Nicaragua
• Humberto Ortega (born 1947), Nicaraguan military leader
• Ivonne Ortega (born 1972), governor of Yucatán
• Jesús Ortega (born 1952), Mexican left-wing politician
• José Francisco Ortega, (1734–1798), soldier and early settler of California
• Juan Ortega y Montañés (1627–1708), Spanish bishop and colonial administrator
• Katherine D. Ortega (born 1934), 38th treasurer of the United States

Artists and entertainers

• Maestro Armando Ortega, illustrious Mexican composer, conductor, singer, painter
• Aniceto Ortega (1825-1875), Mexican physician, composer and pianist
• Emanuel Ortega, Argentine singer
• Fernando Ortega (born 1957), American singer-songwriter
• Frank Ortega, (1927-1994), American pianist, composer, arranger
• Gilberto Hernández Ortega (1924–1978), a Dominican painter
• Jeannie Ortega (born 1986), American actress, dancer and songwriter
• Jenna Ortega (born 2002), American child/teenage actress
• José Gómez Ortega (1895–1920), Spanish bullfighter
• José Ortega Cano (born 1953), Spanish bullfighter
• Kenny Ortega (born 1950), American producer, director and choreographer
• Lindi Ortega (born 1980), Canadian singer-songwriter
• Leanor Ortega, former member of the group Five Iron Frenzy
• Manuel Ortega (born 1980), Austrian-Spanish singer
• Micah Ortega (born 1976), former guitarist of the group Five Iron Frenzy
• Palito Ortega (born 1941), Argentinian singer
• Santos Ortega (1899–1976), American actor
• Sergio Ortega (1938–2003), Chilean composer and pianist

Sportsmen and sportswomen

• Anita Ortega, UCLA basketball player
• Ariel Ortega (born 1974), Argentinian soccer player
• Buck Ortega (born 1981), American football player
• José Ortega (born 1963), Spanish boxer
• Mauricio Ortega (born 1980), Colombian road cyclist
• Mauricio Ortega (born 1994), Colombian discus thrower
• Stefan Ortega (born 1992), German footballer
• Víctor Ortega (born 1988), male diver from Colombia

Other people

• Aurelio Ortega y Placeres "El Grande" (1863-1926), Mexican Educator, Founder of School, Principal, and Publisher
• Amancio Ortega Gaona (born 1936), Spanish fashion entrepreneur
• Casimiro Gómez Ortega (1741-1818), Spanish physician and botanist
• Jaime Lucas Ortega y Alamino (born 1938), Archbishop of Havana
• José Ortega y Gasset (1883–1955), Spanish philosopher
• Joshua Ortega (born 1974), American author and journalist
• Luis Ortega Álvarez (1953–2015), Spanish judge

Fictional characters

• Christian "Combo" Ortega in the TV series Breaking Bad
• Gael Ortega, in the TV series 24
• Ishmael Ortega, in the Marvel Comics series District X
• Ortega, father of the hero in Dragon Warrior III
• Ortega (Castlevania), character from the Nintendo 64 video game Castlevania
• Victor Ortega, character from the Sega/Super NES video game Saturday Night Slam Masters
• The henchman in The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies who would later become a recurring guest character in Mystery Science Theater 3000
• Ortega Peru, character from Mr. Magoo(1997)
• Captain Ortega, in the TV series The Snorks
• Serge Ortega, in the Well of Souls novel series by Jack L. Chalker
• Susan Ortega, anchorwoman in the movie Bruce Almighty
• The Ortegas, Neverborn hunters led by Perdita Ortega in the tabletop game Malifaux