Munguia
A Spanish surname most likely tied to a place name, with roots in the Basque-speaking north of Spain.
The #2,857 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 24,474 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Munguia is generally understood as a surname taken from a place name, especially the town of Mungia in Biscay, in the Basque Country. The place name is Basque in origin, though the exact older meaning of the root is not certain. Like many Spanish surnames, it likely began as an identifier for someone who came from that locality.
History
The surname is found chiefly in Spanish-speaking communities, especially in Spain and the Americas. In the United States it is most common among families of Hispanic heritage, reflecting immigration from Mexico and other parts of Latin America. The spelling Munguia is a standard Hispanicized form of a surname ultimately associated with the Basque toponym Mungia.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The town of Mungia in Biscay is now usually written with one g in the Spanish surname, while the modern Basque place name keeps the same basic form.