Nunes Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Nunes last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Nunes last name
Meaning of the Nunes last name: "son of Nuno". Nunes is a Portuguese surname meaning "son of Nuno", a medieval name perhaps from Latin nonnus, "monk, tutor". Nuno Álvares Pereira was a famous fourteenth century commander. The last name is common in Portugal and Brazil, and the Spanish form is Núñez.
Arms associated with the Nunes name
Coats of arms associated with the Nunes surname follow Portuguese heraldry, each set out in a short blazon.
Get your full Nunes family history
This is only a glimpse of the Nunes story. The full Nunes history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Nunes coat of arms. Get the full Nunes report.
Nunes name FAQ
What does the Nunes name mean?
"son of Nuno". Common variants include Núñez, Nunez.
Where does the Nunes surname come from?
It originates in Portugal, and is also found in Brazil, Angola and Cape Verde.
Is there a Nunes coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Nunes coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: José Pedro Machado, Dicionário Onomástico Etimológico da Língua Portuguesa (Lisboa, 1984); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).