Matute
A Spanish surname of uncertain origin, most likely built from a place name or regional word rather than a personal name.
The #8,478 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 79,328 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The old surname literature does not give a single secure derivation for Matute. It appears to be Spanish and may be locational, formed from a place-name or regional term rather than from a given name. One 19th-century source groups it with surnames that may reflect place or landscape vocabulary, but the evidence is too thin to be certain.
History
Matute is documented in Spain and later appears among Hispanic families overseas. Because the historical excerpts provided mention it only incidentally, they do not establish a firm pedigree for the name. In modern use it is a relatively uncommon surname, but it is clearly established in Spanish-speaking communities.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
A historical Spanish writer, Diego Matute de Peñafiel, is one of the better-known bearers of the surname in older literature.
From the historical record
“Matos. Matorrales. Matute. La entrada de algunos jéneros por alto. El jé- nero que entra por alto. DE LOS APELLIDOS 93”
— Diccionario de los apellidos