Cortez is a surname and given name of Spanish origin, derived from the word 'cortés', which means 'courtly' or 'polite'. It has been used as both a surname and a given name for centuries in Spain and its former colonies.
The name Cortez experienced periods of popularity and decline over the years, with most notable activity occurring between 1912 to 1928 and then again from 1980 onwards. The highest number of births in any single year was 9, recorded in 1912. After a gap of nearly sixty years, there were consistently more than five births per year between 1980 and 1990, with peaks of seven births in 1986 and 1987. In total, the name Cortez has been given to eighty-nine babies over the recorded period.