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

Monroy, 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 Monroy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Monroy in America

Monroy is the 26282nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Monroy surname appeared 929 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 Monroy.

We can also compare 2010 data for Monroy 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 Monroy

The surname MONRROY has its origins in Spain, specifically in the Castilian region, where it first emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Spanish words "monte" (meaning "mountain") and "rey" (meaning "king"), suggesting a potential connection to a person or family with authority over a mountainous area.

One of the earliest documented references to the MONRROY name can be found in the Libro de la Montería, a 14th-century manuscript commissioned by King Alfonso XI of Castile, which listed various hunting grounds and landowners throughout the kingdom. The name appears in several entries, indicating the presence of MONRROY families in various regions of Castile during that time.

In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the MONRROY surname was Juan de Monrroy, a Spanish military commander who participated in the conquest of the Canary Islands under the leadership of Juan Rejón. He played a crucial role in the subjugation of the indigenous Guanche people and the establishment of Spanish control over the archipelago.

Another prominent individual with the MONRROY name was Pedro de Monrroy, a Spanish explorer and conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expeditions to Mexico in the early 16th century. He participated in the conquest of the Aztec Empire and was granted encomiendas (land grants) in recognition of his service.

In the 17th century, the MONRROY surname gained further recognition with the birth of Alonso de Monrroy y Zúñiga (1604-1672), a Spanish nobleman and military officer who served as the governor of the Philippines from 1665 to 1670. He played a significant role in fortifying the defenses of the Spanish East Indies against threats from other European powers and pirate attacks.

Another notable figure from this period was Diego de Monrroy y Córdoba (1595-1668), a Spanish cleric who served as the Bishop of Trujillo in Peru from 1634 until his death. He was known for his efforts in promoting education and evangelization among the indigenous population of his diocese.

While the MONRROY surname has its roots in Spain, it eventually spread to other parts of the world, particularly to the Americas, as a result of Spanish colonization and migration. Today, the name can be found in various Spanish-speaking countries, as well as among Hispanic communities in other nations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Monroy

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

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

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

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