MUÑOZ - Surname Meaning and Origin

Muñoz is a patronymic surname meaning "son of Muño" a personal name that means "hill." It could also be patronymic for "son of Nuño," meaning "ninth"—a name sometimes given to the ninth child.

Muñoz is the 40th most common Hispanic surname.

Surname Origin: Spanish

Alternate Surname Spellings: MÚÑOZ, MUNIZ, MUNO, MUNONEZ

Famous People with the Surname MUÑOZ

• Rafael Muñoz: Famous Puerto Rican big band director and bass player
• Rafael Muñoz: a Mexican journalist, novelist, and writer of short stories
• Luis Muñoz Marín: First governor of Puerto Rico

Where Do People With the MUÑOZ Surname Live?

The surname distribution data at Forebears ranks Muñoz as the 287th most common surname in the world, identifying it as most prevalent in Mexico and with the highest number as a percentage of the population in Chile. Muñoz is the 2nd most common name found in Chile, borne by one in every eighty-six residents. It is also fairly common in Spain, where it ranks 17th; Colombia, where it ranks 18th; and Ecuador, where it comes in at 20th. 

Genealogy Resources for the Surname MUÑOZ

100 Common Hispanic Surnames and Their Meanings
Garcia, Martinez, Rodriguez, Lopez, Hernandez... Are you one of the millions of people sporting one of these top 100 common Hispanic last names?

How to Research Hispanic Heritage
Learn how to get started researching your Hispanic ancestors, including the basics of family tree research and country-specific organizations, genealogical records, and resources for Spain, Latin America, Mexico, Brazil, the Caribbean and other Spanish speaking countries.

Muñoz Family Crest: It's Not What You Think
Contrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Muñoz family crest or coat of arms for the Muñoz surname. Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted. 

MUÑOZ Family Genealogy Forum
Read this archive of the former popular genealogy forum for the Muñoz surname to find what others who have been researching your ancestors have posted. This forum is no longer active.

FamilySearch: MUÑOZ Genealogy
Access over 2.5 million free historical records and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Muñoz surname and its variations on this free genealogy website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

MUÑOZ Surname & Family Mailing Lists
RootsWeb hosts several free mailing lists for researchers of the Muñoz surname and its variations. In addition to joining a list, you can also browse or search the archives to explore over a decade of postings for the Muñoz surname.

GeneaNet: Muñoz Records
GeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Muñoz surname, with a concentration on records and families from France, Spain, and other European countries.

Sources

• Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Penguin Books, 1967.
• Dorward, David. Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998.
• Fucilla, Joseph. Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003.
• Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989.
• Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003.
• Reaney, P.H. A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997.
• Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.