Godínez
A Spanish surname most likely meaning “son of Godino” or “little Godino,” from a medieval personal name.
The #1,665 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 14,267 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Godínez is a Spanish surname formed from the old given name Godino, with the ending -ez meaning “son of” in many Spanish surnames. Godino is generally traced to a Germanic personal name built on a god-related element, so the surname is ultimately derived from a medieval given name rather than a place or trade. In plain terms, Godínez originally meant “descendant of Godino.”
History
The surname is found in Spain and throughout the Spanish-speaking world, especially in areas with strong colonial-era Spanish settlement. In modern usage it is common in Latin America and among Hispanic communities in the United States. The accented spelling Godínez is the standard Spanish form, though the surname may also appear without the accent in English-language records.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The ending -ez in Spanish surnames is one of the classic clues to a patronymic origin, like in González, Martínez, and Rodríguez.