She was named in honor of José Ferrándiz y Niño, a Spanish Admiral and former Navy Minister.

On 29 September 1936, at the Battle of Cape Spartel, Canarias spotted Almirante Ferrándiz on patrol in the Alboran Sea, and opened fire from 16 kilometres (8.6 nmi), hitting the destroyer with her second salvo.

The Republican destroyer continued sailing away from Canarias, but the heavy cruiser struck her again with a third salvo, at 20 km (11 nmi).

The destroyer took a total of six hits from Canarias's 200 mm (8 in) main armament and sank 33 km (18 nmi) off Calaburras with most of her crew.

Canarias stopped to rescue 31 sailors from Almirante Ferrándiz and authorized the French liner Koutubia to pick up another 26, including her commander, José Luis Barbastro Jiménez.