Alfaro surname meaning

Alfaro is a Spanish habitational surname from the town of Alfaro in La Rioja province. DAFN explains the place-name as apparently from Arabic al, “the,” plus Old Spanish faro, “beacon” or “lighthouse,” a fitting label for a conspicuous settlement. Families who left the town took Alfaro as their hereditary surname, so the name marks origin rather than an occupation. Place is high confidence for this single clear habitational etymology; dictionary sources do not offer a competing primary Spanish origin for the surname headword.