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

Moniz, 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 Moniz surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Moniz in America

Moniz is the 5958th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Moniz surname appeared 5,775 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Moniz.

We can also compare 2010 data for Moniz 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 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.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Moniz

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

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

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

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