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

Mundaca, 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 Mundaca surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mundaca in America

Mundaca is the 157234th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mundaca surname appeared 103 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 Mundaca.

The history of the last name Mundaca

The surname Mundaca is of Spanish origin, with its roots traced back to the Basque region of northern Spain and southwestern France during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Basque word "munda," meaning "hill" or "mountain," suggesting that the name may have initially referred to a person living on or near a hill or mountainous area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mundaca can be found in the "Becerro de las Behetrias" (Book of Behetrias), a medieval Spanish document dating back to the 14th century. This document was a compilation of records related to land ownership and taxation in the region of Old Castile, which encompassed parts of modern-day Spain.

In the 16th century, the name Mundaca appeared in several historical records from the Basque Country, such as parish registers and municipal archives. One notable individual bearing this surname was Juan de Mundaca, a Basque navigator and explorer who accompanied Ferdinand Magellan on his famous voyage around the world in 1519-1522.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the name Mundaca spread beyond the Basque region as families migrated to other parts of Spain and its colonies in the Americas. In the 19th century, a Basque immigrant named Ramón Mundaca (1805-1883) settled in California and became a prominent rancher and landowner, contributing to the establishment of the Mundaca surname in the United States.

Another notable figure with the surname Mundaca was José María Mundaca (1871-1937), a Colombian politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and as the ambassador to several countries, including the United States and Spain.

In the 20th century, Tomás Mundaca (1911-1995) was a renowned Chilean artist and painter, known for his vibrant and colorful depictions of rural life and landscapes in his home country.

While the surname Mundaca is relatively uncommon globally, it continues to be present in various parts of the world, particularly in Spain, Latin America, and areas with significant Basque communities or immigration from Spanish-speaking countries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mundaca

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

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 Mundaca 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.

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

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

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