What does the name Nunez mean?

The surname Núñez means “son of Nuño” and is one of the most common surnames in Spain, Chile, Uruguay, Venezuela and Peru. It means “son of Nuño” and is currently considered one of the 500 most popular surnames in the world.

Meaning

Nuñez is a patronymic surname, that is, it refers to the parent of the person who bears it. In this case, it derives from the given name Nuño or Nuno, and this is accompanied by the traditional Spanish patronymic suffix –ez , meaning “son of”.

In turn, it is believed that the name Nuño comes from the Latin term nonius , which means “ninth”, possibly in reference to the ninth child in a family. Other sources suggest that it may derive from the Latin word nonnus , meaning “monk” or “squire”.

Origin of the surname Núñez

The surname Núñez is of Spanish origin. However, there are different versions about the exact origin of it. Some of the oldest records indicate that this surname originated in Aragon, around the 13th century AD. The family of Juan Nunes settled there.

Subsequently, the surname was extended to Valencia and Mallorca. Some of the families descend from Pedro Nunes, who served King Jaime I.

Later, the Núñez surname spread to Portugal and later to America, during the Spanish conquests. In the American territory there are records from the 17th century AD Some of them mention Juan Nuñes de Guevara and Miguel José Nunes in Peru. In Colombia, one of the first genealogical data mentions Francisco Núñez Velásquez de Quero.

At the beginning of the 18th century the surname also existed in the Dominican Republic. Later, this surname also spread to Cuba. In Chile, it is believed that the surname appeared for the first time in the 20th century.

At present, Núñez is a very common surname in Galicia, Spain. In addition, there are current noble titles that include it. Among them are: José Nuñez de Villavicencio y Soto, Count of Cañete del Piñar and Fernando Núñez-Robres and Escrivá de Romaní, Marqués de Montortal.

Fun facts

Apart from its meaning and its origin, there are other interesting facts about the surname Núñez:

• It is the 495th most common surname in the world.
• It is the 58th most popular last name in Spanish-speaking countries.
• Most people with the last name Núñez live in Spain, where this surname ranks 42nd among the most common surnames.
• The Núñez surname is concentrated in the Spanish communities of Galicia and Extremadura.
• In Paraguay it is the 18th most popular surname.
• It is also among the 40 most frequent surnames in Argentina, Chile and the Dominican Republic.
• Generally, Nuñez includes the letter “ñ” exclusive to Spanish and with a tilde, but it can also appear as Nunes. Other variants of the surname Núñez are Nuñes, Nuño, Nuñoz and Neño.

Known people with the last name Núñez

Many of the famous people with the last name Núñez stand out, mainly, in the sports and entertainment fields. Some of them are:

• Darwin Núñez: Uruguayan professional soccer player.
• Miguel Núñez: Dominican doctor and writer.
• Paola Núñez: Mexican actress.
• Jeanette Núñez: Governor of Florida, United States.
• Rafael Wenceslao Nuñez Moledo: former president of Colombia.
• Samuel Nuñes: Chilean artist.
• Josep Lluís Núñez: successful former Spanish president of the FC Barcelona sports club, who years after leaving office was sentenced to prison for bribing tax inspectors.
• Vasco Núñez de Balboa: Spanish explorer.

Genealogy and resources

Throughout our lives, the need to learn more about the history and origin of our ancestors often arises. On the internet there are various resources to find out more information about other people with the last name Núñez and to find old records on this last name. Some of them are:

• FamilySearch: It is one of the largest free databases on the net. It has more than half a million historical records and family trees of the Nuñez surname.
• Geneanet: is a forum about different Hispanic surnames, containing family trees, DNA data and more information about people with the last name Núñez.

Bibliography

• Vilches y De Marín, E. Golden book of Spanish surnames: their etymology, genealogy and heraldry. (2012). Spain. Ulan Press.
• Faure, R.; Ribes, MA (2001). Dictionary of Spanish surnames. Spain. Espasa Books.
• Tibón, G. Comparative etymological dictionary of Spanish, Hispanic American and Filipino surnames . (2003). USA. Economic Culture Fund USA.
• nunez. Forebears. Available at: https://forebears.io/surnames/nu%C3%B1ez