Medina is a common Mediterranean toponymic surname of Spanish-Moorish and Sephardic Jewish origin.
The surname was derived from several cities and towns of Spain such as Medina del Campo, Medina de Pomar, Medina de Rioseco, Medinaceli, Medina-Sidonia and Medina de las Torres, Italy, such as Medina, Campania and Malta, such as Mdina. The use of the term dates back to the Muslim rule of Al Andalus, Emirate of Sicily and the times of Islam in Malta (8th–15th century) and it originates from the Arabic word madīnah (مَدِيْنَة) which means "city" ultimately derived from Aramaic. [1] Many families that came new to these places took it as a surname during the Reconquista. The surname was imported to the Spanish colonies by the conquistadores. Medina is a common surname among Moriscos and Conversos/Marranos too.
Notable people with the surname include:
