2000
#5,618
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,666
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.10
Rare Last name
Moniz
A Portuguese surname derived from the given name Monio, a diminutive form of Raimundo (Raymond), meaning "wise protector."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,326 Americans carry the last name Moniz. That puts it at #6,005 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.85 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 54,182 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Moniz surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Moniz with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
6.3K
1 in 54,182
Census rank
#6,005
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,517 bearers of the surname Moniz in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.85 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6005th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Moniz, the largest self-reported group is White at 74.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.6%) and Hispanic (8.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Moniz
The surname "Moniz" originates from Portugal, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the given name "Munio," which itself is a shortened form of the Latin name "Munio" or "Munius." This name was relatively common among the nobility and aristocracy of the Iberian Peninsula during the 8th to 11th centuries.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "Moniz" can be found in the "Livro Velho de Linhagens" (Old Book of Lineages), a medieval Portuguese genealogical text compiled in the 13th century. This document mentions a prominent figure named Munio Moniz, who lived during the reign of King Afonso VI of León and Castile in the late 11th century.
The surname "Moniz" is also associated with the legendary figure of Egas Moniz, a nobleman and military leader who played a crucial role in the conquest of Lisbon from the Moors in 1147. Egas Moniz is celebrated as one of the key figures in the establishment of the Portuguese monarchy, and his name is immortalized in various historical accounts and literary works.
Another notable bearer of the surname "Moniz" was Pedro Moniz, a 14th-century Portuguese explorer and navigator. He is credited with being one of the first Europeans to explore the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, paving the way for future voyages of discovery.
In the 15th century, João Moniz was a prominent figure in the Portuguese court. He served as a diplomat and ambassador during the reign of King Afonso V and played a significant role in negotiating treaties and alliances with other European powers.
During the 16th century, Francisco Moniz was a renowned Portuguese architect and engineer. He is best known for his contributions to the design and construction of the Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most iconic examples of Portuguese Renaissance architecture.
Throughout its history, the surname "Moniz" has been associated with various place names and localities in Portugal, such as Moniz, a parish in the municipality of Lamego, and Moniz da Maia, a civil parish in the municipality of Castelo de Vide.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Moniz
Among Census respondents with the surname Moniz, the largest self-reported group is White at 74.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.6%) and Hispanic (8.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Moniz bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Moniz surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White74.3% · 4,101
- Two or more races8.6% · 475
- Hispanic or Latino8.1% · 448
- Asian and Pacific Islander5.6% · 309
- Black or African American2.9% · 158
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 26
Timeline
Historical Census data for Moniz
Moniz appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#5,958
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,775
+109 bearers (+1.9%)
Per 100,000 1.96
Rank movement Down 340 places
2020
#6,005
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,517
-258 bearers (-4.5%)
Per 100,000 1.85
Rank movement Down 47 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,618 | 5,666 | 2.10 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,958 | 5,775 | 1.96 | +109 bearers (+1.9%) | Down 340 places |
| 2020 | #6,005 | 5,517 | 1.85 | -258 bearers (-4.5%) | Down 47 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Moniz surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,958 | #6,005 | -0.8% |
| Count | 5,775 | 5,517 | -4.5% |
| Per 100K | 1.96 | 1.85 | -5.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Moniz bearers went from 5,775 to 5,517 (-4.5% change). The surname moved down 47 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,958 to #6,005.
FAQ
Moniz surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Moniz?
Name Census estimates that about 6,326 living Americans carry the surname Moniz. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 54,182 residents.
How common is Moniz?
Moniz ranks #6,005 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.85 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,517 people with the surname Moniz. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (6,326), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.85 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.85 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Moniz.
Has Moniz become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Moniz went from 5,775 recorded bearers to 5,517. That is a decrease of 258 (-4.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #5,958 to #6,005.
What does the Census say about the background of Moniz?
Among Census respondents with the surname Moniz, the largest self-reported group is White at 74.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.6%) and Hispanic (8.1%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Moniz in the 2020 Census, accounting for 74.3% (4,101 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Moniz appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (74.3%), Two or More Races (8.6%), Hispanic (8.1%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Moniz (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Moniz mean?
A Portuguese surname derived from the given name Monio, a diminutive form of Raimundo (Raymond), meaning "wise protector." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Moniz (1.85 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Moniz?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Moniz is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.