Explore the Family Name Monica
The meaning of Monica
Spanish and Italian (Mónica): from the female personal name Mónica, from Monica, the name of the mother of Saint Augustine. She was a Carthaginian, so the name may well be of Phoenician origin. However, in the early Middle Ages, it was taken to be a derivative of Latin monere ‘to warn or advise’, and was associated with the spiritual guidance that she gave to her famous son.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Monica in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Monica saw a dip between 2000 and 2010. The rank of the surname Monica in 2000 was 18607, but it fell to 21288 in 2010, marking a change of -14.41%. In terms of count, there were 1366 instances of the surname in 2000, which decreased to 1231 by 2010, indicating a reduction of -9.88%. The proportion of the surname Monica per 100k people also decreased from 0.51 in 2000 to 0.42 in 2010, translating to a decrease of -17.65%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #18,607 | #21,288 | -14.41% |
| Count | 1,366 | 1,231 | -9.88% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.51 | 0.42 | -17.65% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Monica
When it comes to the ethnic identity associated with the surname Monica based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, there were some notable changes between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of those identifying as White remained relatively stable, increasing just slightly from 82.72% in 2000 to 82.94% in 2010. However, individuals who identified as Hispanic saw an increase from 10.76% in 2000 to 11.21% in 2010, a change of 4.18%. On the other hand, the percentage of those identifying as Black decreased from 3.29% in 2000 to 2.44% in 2010, a substantial drop of -25.84%. Additionally, in 2000, 2.05% reported being of two or more races, but this category dropped to 0 by 2010. Lastly, the Asian/Pacific Islander category emerged in the 2010 data at 1.95%, where it had been 0 in the 2000 data. There were no individuals identifying as American Indian or Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 82.72% | 82.94% | 0.27% |
| Hispanic | 10.76% | 11.21% | 4.18% |
| Black | 3.29% | 2.44% | -25.84% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 1.95% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 2.05% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |