Find out how popular the last name Martínez 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.

Martínez, 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 surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Martínez in America

Martínez is the 128249th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Martínez surname appeared 133 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.

The history of the last name Martínez

The surname MARTINEZR originated in Spain during the medieval period. It is derived from the personal name Martin, which was a common name among early Christians and is thought to be derived from the Latin name Martinus, meaning "of Mars" or "devoted to Mars". The suffix "-ez" or "-ezr" was commonly added to Spanish surnames to denote the son of or descendant of, so MARTINEZR means "son of Martin".

MARTINEZR was particularly common in the regions of Castile, Aragon, and Andalusia in Spain, where it first appeared in written records as early as the 12th century. Some of the earliest recorded examples of the name can be found in medieval charters, tax rolls, and parish registers from these areas.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname MARTINEZR was Pedro Martinez de Luna, who was born in Aragon in 1328 and later became Pope Benedict XIII during the Western Schism. He played a significant role in the political and religious conflicts of his time and is remembered for his unwillingness to abdicate the papacy, which prolonged the schism.

Another notable figure was Fernando Martinez, a Spanish explorer and navigator who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493. He was one of the first Europeans to set foot in the Caribbean and is credited with establishing the first Spanish settlement on the island of Hispaniola (modern-day Haiti and Dominican Republic).

In the 16th century, Juan Martinez Siliceo, born in 1486 in Villacasta, Spain, rose to become the Archbishop of Toledo and a prominent figure in the Spanish Inquisition. He was known for his strict enforcement of Catholic orthodoxy and his opposition to the Protestant Reformation.

During the Spanish colonization of the Americas, the MARTINEZR surname spread across the Spanish territories. One notable individual was Pedro Martinez de Lizana, a Spanish missionary and linguist born in 1565 in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. He was instrumental in translating religious texts into indigenous languages and is considered a pioneer in the study of Mayan languages.

Another significant figure was Diego Martinez de Hurdaide, born in Spain in the late 16th century, who served as the Governor of the Philippines from 1634 to 1636. He played a crucial role in the Spanish administration of the Philippines and is remembered for his efforts to strengthen the colony's defenses against Dutch and Chinese attacks.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Martínez

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

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 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 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, please contact us.

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