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

Monita, 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 Monita surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Monita in America

Monita is the 70833rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Monita surname appeared 276 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 Monita.

We can also compare 2010 data for Monita 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 Monita

The surname MONITA is believed to have originated in Spain during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Spanish word "monita," which translates to "little monkey" or "little doll." This surname may have been initially bestowed as a nickname or descriptive name upon someone who was small in stature or had a playful, mischievous personality.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the MONITA surname can be found in the archives of the city of Barcelona, where a certain Pedro MONITA is mentioned in a document dated 1387. This document details a dispute over property boundaries, suggesting that the MONITA family held some land or property in the region during that time.

In the 15th century, the name appears in several records from the Spanish town of Alcalá de Henares, which was a prominent center of learning and culture during the Renaissance period. A notable figure bearing the MONITA surname was Juana MONITA, a scholar and poet who lived between 1465 and 1532. Her poetry collection, "Versos de Amor y Devoción," was highly acclaimed in her time.

The MONITA surname also spread to the Americas during the Spanish colonial era. One of the earliest recorded instances in the New World is that of Diego MONITA, a soldier and explorer who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expeditions to Mexico in the early 16th century. Diego MONITA is mentioned in several accounts of the Spanish conquest, though the details of his life and exploits are scarce.

In the 17th century, the MONITA name appeared in various regions of Spain, including Andalusia and Valencia. A prominent figure from this period was Father Tomás MONITA, a Jesuit priest and missionary who lived from 1605 to 1678. He spent several years in the Spanish colonies of South America, where he established missions and worked to convert indigenous populations to Christianity.

Another notable individual with the MONITA surname was María MONITA, a painter and artist who lived in Madrid during the 18th century. Her works, which often depicted religious themes and scenes from everyday life, were celebrated for their attention to detail and vibrant colors. María MONITA's paintings can be found in several museums and private collections across Spain.

While the MONITA surname has its roots in Spain, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to emigration and cultural exchange. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period in the Iberian Peninsula, where it likely began as a descriptive nickname before becoming an established surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Monita

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

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

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

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