Varela is a Galician, Spanish and Portuguese surname originating from Galicia.^[1]

Notable people with the surname include:

• Abigail Varela (born 1948), Venezuelan artist
• Adilson Tavares Varela (born 1988), footballer
• Adrián Varela (born 1984), Mexican reality show contestant
• Adriana Varela (born 1952), Argentine tango singer
• Alan Varela (born 2001), Argentine footballer
• Alberto Varela (born 1940), Uruguayan fencer
• Alejandro Varela (born 1979), Spanish footballer
• Alfredo Varela (disambiguation), several people
• Amancio (footballer), full name Amancio Amaro Varela (1939–2023), Spanish footballer
• Ângelo Varela (born 1980), Portuguese footballer
• Antonio María Rouco Varela (born 1936), Spanish Catholic cardinal
• Armando Varela (born 1997), East Timorese footballer
• Benjamin Varela (born 1955), Puerto Rican wrestler
• Blanca Varela (1926–2009), Peruvian poet
• Brianna Varela, see List of Survivor (American TV series) contestants
• Bruno Varela (born 1994), Portuguese footballer
• Carlos Varela (disambiguation), several people
• Conny Varela (born 1954), Puerto Rican politician
• Cristopher Varela (born 1999), Venezuelan footballer
• Cybèle Varela (born 1943), Brazilian artist
• Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (born 1951), Spanish politician
• Daniela Varela, Portuguese singer and songwriter
• Edgar Varela (baseball) (born 1980), American baseball player and coach
• Eduardo Varela, Mexican journalist
• Enrique Bermúdez Varela (1932–1991), Nicaraguan soldier and rebel
• Erika Varela (born 1994), Mexican cyclist
• Euclides Varela (born 1982), Cape Verdean long-distance runner
• Fagundes Varela (1841–1875), Brazilian poet
• Federico Varela (born 1996), Argentine footballer
• Felipe Varela, Spanish fashion designer
• Félix Varela (1788–1853), Cuban and United States venerated Catholic priest
• Fernando Varela (disambiguation), several people
• Florencio Varela (writer) (1808–1848), Argentine writer, poet, journalist and educator
• Francisco Varela (disambiguation), several people
• Froilán Varela (1891–1948), Uruguayan actor
• Gerardo Varela (born 1963), Chilean lawyer and politician
• Gilson Varela (born 1990), Cape Verdean footballer
• Guillermo Varela (born 1993), Uruguayan footballer
• Gustavo Varela (born 1978), Uruguayan footballer
• Héctor Varela (disambiguation), several people
• Hugo Varela (born 1992), Spanish squash player
• Iris Varela (born 1969), Venezuelan lawyer and politician
• Jairo Varela (1949–2012), Colombian musician in Grupo Niche
• Javier Varela (born 1940), Mexican field hockey player
• Jazmín Beccar Varela (born 1986), Argentinian actress
• Jesus Varela (1927–2018), Filipino Catholic bishop
• Jhonata Varela (born 2000), Brazilian footballer
• João Varela (disambiguation), several people
• Joaquín Varela (disambiguation), several people
• John Varela (born 1987), Colombian footballer
• Jorge Varela (disambiguation), several people
• José Varela (disambiguation), several people
• Juan Carlos Varela (born 1963), President of Panama
• Julia Varela (born 1981), Spanish radio and television journalist
• Leonor Varela (born 1972), Chilean actress
• Lorenzo Varela (1917–1978), Spanish poet
• Luciano Varela, Spanish judge
• Lucky Varela (1935–2017), American politician
• Luis Varela (disambiguation), several people
• Manuel Varela (disambiguation), several people
• Mariana Varela (born 1996), Miss Universe Argentina 2019 and Miss Grand Argentina 2020
• Maria Varela (born 1940), Mexican-American civil rights organizer and author
• Marquesa de Varela, Uruguayan media executive specialising in celebrity interviews
• Marta Varela (born 1943), Argentine composer, pianist, and teacher
• Matias Varela (born 1980), Swedish actor
• Mauro Varela (1941–2020), Spanish banker, lawyer and politician
• Migdia Chinea Varela, American actress
• Miguel Varela (c. 1940–2016), Filipino businessman and lawyer
• Nico Varela (born 1991), Uruguayan footballer
• Nilton Varela (born 2001), Portuguese footballer
• Obdulio Varela (1917–1996), Uruguayan footballer
• Omar Varela (1957–2022), Uruguayan actor, theatre director and playwright
• Pany Varela, full name Anilton César Varela da Silva (born 1989), futsal player
• Pedro Varela (1837–1906), president of Uruguay in 1868 and from 1875 to 1876
• Reinaldo Varela (born 1959), Brazilian four-wheeler motorcycle rider
• Rui Varela (born 1983), Portuguese footballer
• Severino Varela (1913–1995), Uruguayan footballer
• Silvestre Varela (born 1985), Portuguese footballer
• Sofía Varela (born 1998), Costa Rican footballer
• Tanza Varela (born 1991), Chilean actress and model
• Tilsia Varela (born 1994), Venezuelan chess player
• Toni Varela (born 1986), Cape Verdean footballer
• Tomás Varela (born 1948), Cuban hockey player
• Víctor Varela (born 1955), Swedish composer
• Vitalina Varela (actress) (born 1966), Cape Verdean actress
• Wilber Varela (1958–2008), Colombian drug lord
• Yan Bartelemí, full name Yan Bartelemí Varela (born 1980), Cuban boxer
• Yolanda Varela (1930–2009), Mexican actress

References