González is a Spanish surname of Germanic origin, the second most common (2.16% of the population) in Spain, as well as one of the five most common surnames in Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Paraguay, and Venezuela, and one of the most common surnames in the entire Spanish-speaking world. As of 2017, it is the 13th most common surname in the United States.
Origin González is a Spanish name. Its origins trace back to a Visigothic name combining the words gunþo (guntho) (battle or war) and alf (elf); the Latinized form was Gundisalv. As the Spanish language developed, the name transformed into Gonzalo and its surname derivative González. Some believe the name to mean "war hall", as evidenced by the old Norse words "Gunn/Gunnar", meaning "War/warrior" and the old Norse word "salaz" meaning "hall", whereby "gunnsalaz" may have very likely been the original Visigoth word for "castle" before they eventually adopted the Roman-Latin "castellum" and then "castle" for the building -- a process which continued across much of our old Norse world of today, wherein nations like Iceland use the word "kastali" as their word for castle. And even in the German language, one of the words for "castle" is "schloss", which is an alteration of the old Norse word "salaz" meaning "hall", wherein "salaz" may also be pronounced as "shalaz" and the first vowel eliminated entirely, leaving "shlaz", pronounced "shloss", which is then spelled as the modern German word "schloss".
González is taken to mean "son of Gonzalo", e.g. son of a "noble warrior", "soldier" or "castle guard". Common spellings include: González (common Spanish spelling), Gonzales (alternate Spanish spelling), Gonzalez (omitting the acute accent, a spelling often used in English speaking countries), Gonzalès (French adaptation), and Gonçalves (Portuguese spelling).
An alternate explanation is "the worker in metals" or "smith".
Geographical distribution As of 2014, 31.8% of all known bearers of the surname González were residents of Mexico (frequency 1:44), 10.8% of Spain (1:49), 10.0% of Venezuela (1:34), 7.4% of Argentina (1:66), 7.1% of the United States (1:584), 6.7% of Colombia (1:81), 5.1% of Cuba (1:26), 4.2% of Chile (1:48), 3.1% of Paraguay (1:27), 2.7% of Guatemala (1:68), 1.7% of Panama (1:27), 1.7% of Nicaragua (1:42), 1.4% of the Dominican Republic (1:85), 1.1% of El Salvador (1:67) and 1.1% of Ecuador (1:171).
In Spain, the frequency of the surname was higher than the national average (1:49) in the following autonomous communities: Asturias (1:20) Canary Islands (1:22) Castile and León (1:29) Cantabria (1:30) Galicia (1:33) Extremadura (1:36) Andalusia (1:49)
In Cuba, the frequency of the surname was higher than the national average (1:26) in the following provinces: Artemisa (1:18) Cienfuegos (1:19) Mayabeque (1:19) Ciego de Ávila (1:19) Matanzas (1:24) Sancti Spíritus (1:24) Isla de la Juventud (1:24) Pinar del Río (1:25) Villa Clara (1:25) Santiago de Cuba (1:25)
People named González
The arts
Adrian Gonzales (1937–1998), Filipino comics artist Adrián Luis González (born 1939), Mexican potter Antonio González Caballero (1927–2003), Mexican painter, pedagogue and screenwriter Beatriz González (1932–2026), Colombian painter, sculptor and art historian Belle Gonzales (born 1931), Filipino-born singer active in England Eva Gonzalès (1849–1883), French painter Fernando González Gortázar (1942–2022), Mexican architect, sculptor and writer Francisco González Gómez (1918–1990), Spanish caricaturist, painter and sculptor Jaime Guadalupe González Domínguez (1975–2013), Mexican journalist Jorge González Camarena (1908–1980), Mexican painter, muralist and sculptor Jose B. Gonzalez, American poet José Emilio González (1918–1990), Puerto Rican literary critic and editor Jose Luis Gonzalez (artist) (born 1939), Mexican-American artist José González (artist) (1939–2009), Spanish comic book artist Juan Gonzalez (artist) (1942–1993), 20th century Cuban-American painter Julio González (sculptor) (1876–1942), Spanish sculptor and painter Manuel Gonzales (1913–1993), Spanish-American Disney comics artist Marcelina Gonzales (born 1989), American visual artist Mercedes Elena Gonzalez (born 1952), artist from Caracas, Venezuela Suzy González (born 1989), American artist and activist Xavier Gonzalez (1898–1993), American artist Agustina González López (1891–1936), writer and artist from the Generation of '27 Mercedes González Tola (1860–1911), Ecuadorian poet and playwright Nieves González (born 1996), Spanish painter
Film, television, and theater
Alejandro González Iñárritu (born 1963), Mexican filmmaker Álvaro Díaz González (born 1972), Chilean journalist, producer and director Anthony Gonzalez (actor) (born 2004), American actor Beauty Gonzalez (born 1991), Filipina-Spanish actress and former reality show contestant Bianca Gonzalez (born 1983), Filipina television host and model Carlos González (cinematographer), Venezuelan cinematographer and director Charlene Gonzales (born 1974), Filipino actress, media personality and beauty pageant titleholder Daniel Brühl (born 1978 as Daniel César Martín Brühl González), German and Spanish actor Danny Gonzalez (born 1994), YouTube commentator Edith González (1964–2019), Mexican actress Eiza González (born 1990), Mexican actress and singer Erich Gonzales (born 1990), Filipina actress Fernando González Pacheco (1932–2014), Colombian television host, announcer, journalist and occasional actor Juan González (journalist) (born 1947), Puerto Rican journalist Laura G (born 1985 as María Sonia Laura González Martínez), Mexican television presenter and journalist Lexi Gonzales (born 2000), Filipina actress Luis Gonzales (1928–2012), Flipino actor Luis Gonzalez, a character in Chiquititas Luz Elena González (born 1974), Mexican actress and model Mandy Gonzalez (born 1978), American actress and singer Mauricio González de la Garza (1923–1995), Mexican journalist, writer and music composer Mónica González (dancer), Argentine professional theater dancer and vedette, as well as the wife of TV host and comedian José María Listorti Myrtle Gonzalez (1891–1918), American actress Nacho Vidal (born 1973 as Ignacio Jordi González), Spanish pornographic actor and director Nicandro Díaz González (1963–2024), Mexican telenovela producer Nicholas Gonzalez (born 1976), American actor Pedro González (humorist) (born 1965), Colombian humorist, journalist and actor Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez (1925–2006), American actor Raúl González (host) (born 1971), Venezuelan TV host and actor Rick Gonzalez (born 1979), American actor Robert Gant (born 1968 as Robert Gonzalez), American actor Speedy Gonzales, Warner Bros. theatrical cartoon character Susana González (born 1973), Mexican actress and model Víctor González (actor) (born 1973), Mexican actor Yon González (born 1986), Spanish actor
Literature
Ana Marta González (born 1969), Spanish professor and philosopher Ángel González Muñiz (1925–2008), Spanish poet Dulce María González (1958–2014), Mexican writer and educator Enrique González Martínez (1871–1952), Mexican poet, diplomat, surgeon and obstetrician Enrique González Rojo Sr. (1899–1939), Mexican writer Enrique González Rojo Jr. (1928–2021), Mexican writer and philosopher Enriqueta González Rubín (1832–1877), Spanish writer Urbano González Serrano (1848–1904), Spanish intellectual Fernando González (writer) (1895–1964), Columbian writer and philosopher Francisco González Bocanegra (1824–1861), Mexican poet José Antonio González de Salas (1588–1654), Spanish humanist and writer José Luis González (writer) (1926–1996), Puerto Rican author and essayist Juan Ignacio González del Castillo (1763–1800), Spanish author of comic theatre Manuel González Zeledón (1864–1936), Costa Rican writer Maria Teresa Maia Gonzalez (born 1958), Portuguese writer Nelly Sfeir Gonzalez (1930–2020), American librarian and bibliographer Oscar Gonzáles (writer), author and poet born in Puerto Cortes, Honduras
Music
Alex González (musician) (born 1969), American-Mexican musician and drummer Andrew Gonzales, past drummer of Reel Big Fish Andy González (musician) (1951–2020), jazz double bassist Anthony Gerard Gonzalez, vocalist of M83 Babs Gonzales (1919–1980), American bebop vocalist and poet Chilly Gonzales (born 1972), Canadian musician, songwriter, and producer Danny Gonzalez (born 1994), YouTube commentator Dennis González (1954–2022), American jazz trumpeter Emilio González Gabarre, member of Los Chichos Enrique González "La Pulga" (1890–1957), Cuban singer-songwriter Eulalio González (1921–2003), Mexican singer-songwriter Fernando González Casellas (1925–1998), Argentine composer of classical music Francisco González Gamarra (1890–1972), Peruvian composer Greg Gonzalez (born 1982), American musician Guillermo Gonzalez (pianist), Spanish classical pianist Hilario González (1920–1999), Cuban composer Iván González, past keyboard player of Maná Jaime González (composer) (born 1956), Chilean composer Jaslene Gonzalez (born 1986), Puerto Rican model and television host Jerry González (1949–2018), American bandleader, trumpeter, and percussionist Joaquin Diaz González (born 1947), Spanish enthnomusicologist Jorge González (musician) (born 1964), Chilean musician Jorge González (singer) (born 1988), Romani Spanish singer José González (singer) (born 1978), Swedish indie musician José Luis González (composer) (born 1937), Mexican composer Juan de Marcos González (born 1954), Cuban bandleader, musician, and actor Julio González Gabarre, member of Los Chichos Leonor González Mina (1934–2024), Afro-Colombian musician and actress Luis "Checho" González (1933–2022), Chilean musician Nelson González (born 1948), Puerto Rican musician Pedro J. González (1895–1995), Mexican singer, guitarist, and songwriter Quique González (born 1973), Spanish singer-songwriter Ramón González Barrón (1890–1972), Spanish composer and choral conductor Roberto González-Monjas (born 1988), Spanish classical violinist and conductor Rockdrigo González (1950–1985), Mexican singer-songwriter Rodrigo González (musician) (born 1968), Chilean-born German musician Rubén González (pianist) (1919–2003), Cuban musician Scheila Gonzalez (born 1971), American Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist Siddhartha (musician) (born 1985), Mexican musician Canserbero (1988–2015), Venezuelan singer-songwriter and activist Yann Gonzalez (born 1977), French filmmaker
Catholic Church Alexia González-Barros González Antonio González (martyr) Conchita, Jacinta and Mari Cruz González, girls that claimed to have witnessed apparitions in Garabandal José González Rubio José Higinio Gómez González Manuel González García (bishop) Peter González
Crime Adrián Gómez González Albert Gonzalez Daniel Gonzalez (spree killer) Fernando González, one of the Cuban Five Gustavo González Castro José González Valencia Julio González Sef Gonzales
Military Alfredo Cantu Gonzalez Ambrosio José Gonzales Antonio González de Balcarce Juan Picasso González Pedro González Llamas Samuel González Toloza
Other fields
Alberto González (humorist) (1928–2012), Cuban humorist and iconoclast Alberto Jose González (born 1972), Spanish video game graphic artist, music composer and designer Ambrose E. Gonzales (1857–1926), Cuban-American co-founder of The State newspaper Andrew Gonzalez (1940–2006), Filipino linguist, writer, educator, and Lasallian Brother Christine Gonzalez, first woman train engineer for Class1 railroad Clotilde González de Fernández (1880–1935), Argentine educator, writer Elián González (born 1993), Cuban child who was the center of a custody battle Felipe González de Ahedo (1702–1792), Spanish navigator and cartographer Felipe González de Canales, one of the founders of Escuelas Familiares Agrarias