Alcalá (with an acute accent) or Alcala (lacking the acute accent) is a Spanish surname.
Alcalá (Spanish) and Alcalà (Catalan) are all ultimately derived (typically through placenames) from the Arabic word al-qalʿah (القلعة), meaning "the citadel" or "fortification". The variant Arcala is found in Ilocano language areas of the Philippine Islands, and some other places.
Notable people with the surname include: Listed alphabetically in each section by given name Music Macedonio Alcalá (1831–1869), Mexican violinist, pianist and songwriter Nilo Alcala (born 1978), Philippine composer and chorister
Politics Blanca Alcalá (born 1961), Mexican politician Dora Alcala, American politician Niceto Alcalá-Zamora, Spanish lawyer and politician who served a president of Spain (1931–1936)
Science Angel Alcala (1929–2023), Filipino biologist Luis Alcalá, Spanish paleontologist
Sports Baseball Jorge Alcalá (born 1995), Dominican baseball player Santo Alcalá (born 1952), Dominican baseball player Football (soccer) Alex Alcalá (born 2005), American-born footballer for Mexico Gil Alcalá (born 1992), Mexican footballer Josh Alcala (born 1984), American footballer Pedro Alcalá (born 1989), Spanish footballer Running Gerardo Alcalá (born 1961), Mexican long-distance runner Marc Alcalá (born 1994), Spanish middle-distance runner Other sports María José Alcalá (born 1971), Mexican diver Raúl Alcalá (born 1964), Mexican road racing cyclist Rubén Alcala (born 1953), Mexican basketball player
Writing and illustrating Alfredo Alcala (1925–2000), Filipino comic book artist Guido Rodríguez Alcalá (born 1946), Paraguayan poet and literary critic Kathleen Alcalá (born 1954), American author Larry Alcala (1926–2002), Philippine cartoonist and illustrator Luis Espinosa Alcalá (1932–2009), Mexican poet, songwriter, and music promoter
Other Alfonso de Alcalá ( 1520s), Spanish physician Félix Enríquez Alcalá (born 1951), American television and movie director, cinematographer and producer Guillermo Ríos Alcalá, Mexican potter Marcel Alcalá (born 1990) American artist María Luisa Alcalá (1943–2016), Mexican actress and director Rodney Alcala (1943–2021), American rapist and serial killer
See also Alcalá (disambiguation) Alcalá-Galiano Alcalá-Zamora Alkalai (the Hebrew version of the name, found among Sephardic Jews)
References