Hinojosa
A Spanish surname usually tied to a place-name, likely referring to a holly or gorse-covered place.
The #1,352 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 11,809 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Hinojosa is a Spanish surname built on the place-name type ending -osa, often used for places characterized by a feature of the landscape. The historical sources point to it as one of a group of Spanish toponymic surnames, and the underlying form is commonly linked with hinojo, the Spanish word for fennel, or with a related place-name tradition. In practice, it is best understood as a surname from a locality called Hinojosa or from a place described by its plant life.
History
Hinojosa is established in Spain and later appears in Spanish-speaking communities elsewhere, including the Americas. The name is borne by several Spanish localities, which likely helped it spread independently in multiple families rather than from a single ancestral line. Modern US records show it as a relatively uncommon but well-established Hispanic surname.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Several Spanish towns and villages are called Hinojosa, so the surname can point to more than one independent place of origin.
From the historical record
“DE LOS APELLIDOS 75 Hinojosa. De hinojoso. Hita. Clavo pequeño, cuadrado ¡ sin cabeza. Hoces Anticuado Flor.”
— Diccionario de los apellidos