The surname Apolinario originates from the Spanish language and has its roots in ancient Greece. It is derived from the name of the Greek god Apollo, who was associated with the sun, music, poetry, and healing. The name Apolinario can be traced back to the Roman Empire, where it was used as a personal name, particularly among Roman citizens of Greek descent.

During the Middle Ages, the name Apolinario gained popularity in Spain, as it was often given to individuals born on or around the feast day of Saint Apollinaris, a Christian martyr from the 2nd century AD. The name was also associated with the city of Valladolid, where a church dedicated to Saint Apollinaris existed.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Apolinario can be found in the Becerro de las Behetrías, a medieval Spanish census document from the 14th century. This document lists several individuals with the surname Apolinario, indicating its widespread usage in various regions of Spain during that time.

In the 15th century, the name Apolinario appeared in the chronicles of the Reconquista, the period of the Christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors. One notable figure was Apolinario de Almogávar, a military commander who fought alongside King Alfonso VI of León and Castile during the siege of Toledo in 1085.

Another prominent individual with the surname Apolinario was Gaspar de Apolinario, a Spanish explorer and navigator who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expedition to Mexico in the early 16th century. Gaspar de Apolinario played a crucial role in the conquest of the Aztec Empire and is mentioned in various historical accounts from that period.

In the 17th century, Fray Apolinario de la Concepción was a Carmelite friar and scholar who authored several religious works and served as the rector of the University of Salamanca. His birth and death years are unknown, but he is known to have lived and worked during the latter half of the 17th century.

During the 18th century, the surname Apolinario was associated with the town of Apolinario in the province of Guadalajara, Spain. This town likely derived its name from an individual or family with the surname Apolinario who had settled in the area.

In the 19th century, one notable figure was Apolinario Mabini, a Filipino political philosopher and revolutionary who played a significant role in the Philippine Revolution against Spanish colonial rule. He was born in 1864 and is considered a national hero in the Philippines for his contributions to the country's independence movement.