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

Mendosa, 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 Mendosa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mendosa in America

Mendosa is the 9144th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mendosa surname appeared 3,568 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Mendosa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mendosa to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Mendosa

The surname Mendosa originated in Spain during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Spanish word "mendoza," which means a bramble bush or a place abundant with such bushes. The name was likely initially a toponymic surname, referring to someone who lived near or came from a location with an abundance of bramble bushes.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Mendosa can be found in the Cartulario de San Millán de la Cogolla, a medieval manuscript dating back to the 11th century. This document mentions several individuals bearing the name, indicating its presence in Spain during that time.

The Mendosa family was influential in Spain during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance period. Íñigo López de Mendoza, also known as the Marqués de Santillana (1398-1458), was a prominent Spanish poet, nobleman, and patron of the arts. He played a significant role in the development of Spanish literature and the promotion of Renaissance humanism in Spain.

Another notable figure was Pedro González de Mendoza (1428-1495), a Spanish cardinal and statesman who served as the Archbishop of Seville and the Grand Cardinal of Spain. He was instrumental in the Spanish Inquisition and played a crucial role in the expulsion of Jews and Muslims from Spain.

During the colonial era, the surname Mendosa spread to the Americas as Spanish settlers and conquistadors carried the name to the New World. One example is Antonio de Mendoza (1490-1552), a Spanish nobleman who served as the first Viceroy of New Spain (present-day Mexico) from 1535 to 1550.

In the realm of literature, the surname Mendosa is associated with Diego Hurtado de Mendoza (1503-1575), a Spanish novelist, poet, and diplomat known for his picaresque novel "Lazarillo de Tormes," considered one of the earliest examples of the genre.

The name Mendosa has also been associated with various places and locations throughout Spain. For instance, the town of Mendoza in the province of Álava and the Mendoza district in the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz both derive their names from the surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mendosa

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

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 Mendosa 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.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Mendosa has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Mendosa was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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