Melgoza
A Spanish-language surname of uncertain origin, most likely tied to a local place-name or an older personal nickname.
The #6,511 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 59,249 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Melgoza is a Spanish surname, but its exact origin is not firmly established. It is probably one of the many surnames formed from a regional place-name or a local nickname that has not been securely documented in surviving sources. The ending -za is compatible with several Spanish toponymic forms, but no single etymology is widely accepted.
History
The surname is most common today in the Spanish-speaking world and among Hispanic communities in the United States, especially in regions with long-standing Mexican family lines. Because it is relatively uncommon and not strongly documented in older standard surname dictionaries, its early history is difficult to trace with confidence. Its modern distribution suggests a Spanish or colonial Spanish-American background.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Its rarity makes it a useful example of how many Hispanic surnames preserve local, regional, or now-lost place-names.