Severo Ochoa (1905–1993), Spanish-American biochemist, Nobel Prize winner

Ellen Ochoa (1958–), American astronaut

Lorena Ochoa (1981–), Mexican golfer

Ochoa brothers, former members of the Medellin drug cartel

Guillermo Ochoa (a.k.a. "Paco Memo") (1985–), Mexican football player

Arnaldo Ochoa (1930–1989), Cuban army general, executed for treason

Digna Ochoa (1964–2001), Mexican human-rights lawyer

Alex Ochoa (1972–), American baseball player

Carlos Ochoa (1978–), Mexican football player

Francisco Labastida Ochoa (1942–), Mexican economist and politician

Mariana Ochoa (1979–), Mexican actress and singer

Francisco Fernández Ochoa (1950–2006), Spanish alpine skier

Angel Ochoa (1989–), Mexican football player

Eliades Ochoa (1946–), Cuban guitarisst and singer

Jesús Ochoa (1981–), Mexican-American football player

Eduardo López Ochoa (1877–1936), Spanish army general, Africanist, and Freemason

Javier Otxoa (1974–), Spanish cyclist

Ochoa syndrome, rare congenital syndrome associated with facial expressions and hydronephrosis

Baltazar Hinojosa Ochoa (1930–), Mexican politician, mayor of Matamoros, Tamaulipas

Eugenio de Ochoa (1815–1872), Spanish author and translator

Ochoa was originally a given name in medieval Spain. It was originated the Basque Country and meant the wolf (from basque word otsoa). There was also a female given name Ochanda. Spanish version of this basque given namen was Lope. Ochoa became a surname as patronymic. It didn't get the -ez suffix as other spanish patronymics due the basque origin of the name. Lope for example became a surname as Lopez. From the Basque Contry it spread to the rest of Spain and then to the Americas. In modern basque the surname is spelled as Otxoa. About a 25% of the spanish Ochoa's still live in the basque area of Spain (Basque Country and Navarre).

Fabio Ochoa Restrepo (a.k.a. "Don Fabio") (1923–2002), Colombian businessman, father of the Ochoa brothers