Sanchez is a Spanish surname of Basque origin, derived from the Basque word 'santse' meaning 'farm'. It was originally given as an occupational name to someone who worked on a farm, particularly one who tended to pigs. The name has been widely used throughout Spain and its former colonies, particularly in South America. Some notable individuals with the surname Sanchez include Mexican artist Frida Kahlo (born Magdalena Carmen Frieda Kahlo y Calderón) whose father was Guillermo Kahlo Sánchez, and Cuban musician Compay Segundo (born Sixto Rodríguez Fernández), often referred to simply as 'Sanchez'. The name has also been popularized in popular culture, most notably through the character Tony Sanchez in the TV show "Breaking Bad".
The name Sanchez experienced fluctuations in popularity over the years, with a significant increase starting from 1974 until peaking in 1980 with 30 births. After that, it fluctuated between 15 to 35 births per year until around 2000, after which it steadily declined to around 5-10 births per year as of 2022. Overall, there were 970 births with the name Sanchez from 1960 to 2023.