Mendez
 Coat of arms of an Hidalgo family named Méndez | |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmɛndɛz/ Spanish: [ˈmendeθ] Latin America: [ˈmendez] |
|---|---|
| Origin | |
| Language | Spanish |
| Meaning | "son of Mendo" |
| Region of origin | Celanova (Galicia) |
| Other names | |
| Variant form | Mendes (Portuguese) |
| Derived | Hermenegild (Germanic) |
Méndez or Mendez is a patronymic surname of Spanish origin and Germanic roots,[1] meaning "Son of Mendo, Menendo, Mendel or Mem". Because it is a derived form of the original german name 'Hermenegild', most likely because of the period in which the Visigoths ruled in Spain,[2] it shares most of its original ethymology (ermen for "whole, immense" and gild for "sacrifice, treasure").[3]
Méndez is a common surname in Spain, México and other countries in Latin America.[4]
Longer forms sharing the same root are Meléndez and Menéndez, while its Portuguese and Galician equivalent is Mendes.
General
- Ana G. Méndez (1908–1997), Puerto Rican educator
- Ángel Rivero Méndez (1856–1930), Puerto Rican soldier, writer, journalist and businessman
- Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez (born 1942), Cuban cosmonaut
- Emilio Méndez Pérez (born 1949), Spanish physicist
- Jonna Mendez, (born 1945), American CIA official
- Juan E. Méndez (born 1944), Argentine lawyer and academic
- Miguel A. García Méndez (1902–1998), Puerto Rican businessman, lawyer, statesman and banker
- Tony Mendez, American CIA officer
- Willians Mendez Suarez, Cuban Anglican bishop
Arts
- Antonio Tobias Mendez (born 1963), American sculptor
- Conny Méndez (1898–1979), Venezuelan composer, singer, writer, caricaturist and actress
- Dalila Paola Méndez (born 1975), American artist
- Denny Méndez (born 1978), Dominican model and actress
- DJ Méndez (born 1975), Chilean-Swedish producer, singer and DJ
- Erica Mendez, American anime dubbing actor
- Francisco Méndez (1907–1962), Guatemalan poet and short-story writer
- Gaspar Méndez (fl.1546), Spanish architect of Badajoz
- Greta Mendez (born 1954), Trinidadian dancer, choreographer and carnivalist
- Lester Mendez, American record producer and songwriter
- Lucía Méndez (born 1951), Mexican actress and singer
- Luis Fernando Castillo Mendez (1922–2009), Brazilian Catholic priest and patriarch
- Marco Méndez (born 1976), Mexican actor
- Martin Mendez (born 1978), Uruguayan musician
- Nora Méndez (born 1969), Salvadoran poet
- Rafael Méndez (1906–1981), American musician and composer
- Rebeca Mendez (born 1962), American artist and designer
- Ryan Mendez (guitarist), American musician
- Tomás Méndez (1927–1995), Mexican composer and singer
Politics and military
- Aparicio Méndez (1904–1988), Uruguayan politician
- Casto Méndez Núñez (1824–1869), Spanish military naval officer
- Eulalia Jiménez Méndez (born 1891), Mexican revolutionary
- Gaspar Méndez de Haro, 7th Marquis of Carpio (1629–1687), Spanish politician and art collector
- Íñigo Méndez de Vigo (born 1956), Spanish politician
- Juan N. Méndez (1820–1894), Mexican general and politician
- Kevin Mendez, Belizean LGBTQ rights activist
- Louis Gonzaga Mendez Jr. (1915–2001), American army officer
- Manuel A. Garcia Mendez, Puerto Rican businessman, lawyer and politician
- Gonzalo Méndez de Cancio (c. 1554 –1622), Governor of Spanish Florida
- Marco Aurelio Robles Méndez (1905–1990), Panamanian politician and President
- Miguel Abadía Méndez (1867–1947), Colombian politician
- Nicanor Costa Méndez, Argentine politician
- Olga A. Méndez (1925–2009), Puerto Rican politician
- Rafael de Nogales Méndez (1879–1936), Venezuelan mercenary
- Rosie Méndez, American politician
- Santiago Méndez (1790–1870), Mexican politician
- Sylvia Mendez (born 1936), American civil rights activist
- Teodoro A. Dehesa Méndez (1848–1936), Mexican politician
Sports
- Alexis Méndez (born 1969), Venezuelan track and road cyclist
- AJ Mendez (born 1987), American actress, author and professional wrestler better known as AJ Lee
- Bruno Méndez (born 1999), Uruguayan footballer
- Carlos Méndez (baseball) (born 1974), Venezuelan baseball player
- Donaldo Méndez (born 1978), American baseball player
- Édgar Méndez (born 1990), Spanish footballer
- Edison Méndez (born 1979), Ecuadorian footballer
- Federico Méndez (born 1972), Argentine rugby player
- Gabriel Mendez (born 1973), Australian footballer
- Gustavo Méndez (born 1971), Uruguayan footballer
- Gustavo Méndez (referee) (born 1967), Uruguayan football referee
- Héctor Méndez (boxer) (1897–1977), Argentine boxer
- Héctor Méndez (rugby union), Argentine rugby football player and coach
- José Méndez (1887–1928), American baseball player and manager
- Juan Mendez (born 1981), American basketball player
- Judith Méndez (born 1981), Dominican Republic heptathlete
- Limberg Méndez (born 1973), Bolivian football player
- Maria Méndez (born 2001), Spanish footballer
- Mario Méndez (Mexican footballer) (born 1979)
- Mario Méndez (Panamanian footballer) (born 1977)
- Mayte Méndez (1961–2024), Spanish basketball coach
- Norberto Doroteo Méndez (1923–1998), Argentine footballer
- Rómulo Méndez (1938–2022), Guatemalan football referee
- Ronald Méndez (born 1982), Venezuelan volleyball player
- Ryan Mendez (basketball), American basketball player
- Sebas Méndez (born 1997), Ecuadorian footballer
- Sebastián Méndez (born 1977), Argentine footballer
See also
- Benveniste/Mendes family were prominent in 11th to 15th century France, Portugal and Spain.
References
- ↑ "Estos apellidos frecuentes en España son de origen visigodo o germánico". El Español (in Spanish). 2023-04-12. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
- ↑ "Mendez History, Family Crest & Coat of Arms". House of Names. Retrieved 2026-05-02.
- ↑ Powell, Kimberly (2025-05-14). "MENDEZ Surname Meaning and Origin". ThoughtCo. Retrieved 2026-05-02.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Mendez Surname Definition". Forebears. Retrieved 2026-05-02.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)