Find out how popular the last name Martínez-Méndez is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Martínez-Méndez.

Martínez-Méndez, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Martínez-Méndez surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Martínez-Méndez in America

Martínez-Méndez is the 108199th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Martínez-Méndez surname appeared 164 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Martínez-Méndez.

The history of the last name Martínez-Méndez

The surname MARTINEZMENDEZ is a double-barreled Spanish surname derived from two distinct names - Martinez and Mendez. It originates from the Iberian Peninsula, particularly Spain and Portugal, during the medieval period.

The first part, Martinez, is a patronymic surname derived from the given name Martin, which has Latin roots and means "of Mars" or "dedicated to Mars," the Roman god of war. This name was commonly adopted by early Christians in honor of Saint Martin of Tours, a 4th-century bishop renowned for his generosity and compassion.

The second part, Mendez, is also a patronymic surname derived from the given name Mendo or Menendo, which has Germanic origins and may have meant "brave protector" or "powerful defender." This name was popular among the Visigoths who ruled parts of the Iberian Peninsula during the 5th to 8th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname MARTINEZMENDEZ can be found in the Libro de las Behetrías de Castilla, a 14th-century manuscript that documented landowners and their properties in the Kingdom of Castile. This document mentions a certain Fernan Martinez Mendez who owned land in the region of Tierra de Campos.

In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing this surname was Pedro Martinez Mendez, a Spanish explorer and navigator who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493. He later settled in the Caribbean and played a role in the early colonization efforts.

During the 16th century, the MARTINEZMENDEZ surname gained prominence with individuals like Juan Martinez Mendez (1499-1564), a Spanish nobleman and military commander who participated in the conquest of the Aztec Empire under Hernán Cortés.

Another notable bearer of this surname was Diego Martinez Mendez (1569-1632), a Spanish poet and playwright who was part of the Golden Age of Spanish literature. His works, such as "La Picaresca," offered satirical commentary on the societal issues of his time.

In the 18th century, Jose Martinez Mendez (1712-1779) was a renowned Spanish architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Royal Palace of Aranjuez and the Church of San Marcos in Madrid.

Over the centuries, the MARTINEZMENDEZ surname has spread across Spain, Portugal, and their former colonies, including Latin America and the Philippines, due to migration and exploration. It continues to be a prominent surname, particularly in Spanish-speaking regions, with various spellings and variations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Martínez-Méndez

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Martínez-Méndez.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Martínez-Méndez was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Martínez-Méndez was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Martínez-Méndez, please contact us.

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