Marianna Sotomayor is a congressional reporter for The Washington Post who covers the House of Representatives and the political dynamics on Capitol Hill. She is also a former NBC News associate producer who has reported on various topics such as the 2016 presidential election, the Supreme Court nominations, and the immigration policies.
Sonia Sotomayor is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States who was appointed by President Barack Obama in 2009. She is the first Hispanic and Latina member of the Court and the third woman to serve as a justice.
Both women share a common last name that has sparked curiosity among some people. Are they related by blood or marriage? Do they have any connection beyond their profession? This article will explore the facts and myths behind their surname and their backgrounds.
The Origin of Sotomayor
Sotomayor is a Spanish surname that means “upper mayor” or “higher authority”. It is derived from the Latin word “subtus maior”, which was a title given to local officials in medieval Spain. The name was also used as a geographic indicator for people who lived in or near places called Sotomayor, such as a town in Galicia, a municipality in Huelva, or a castle in Córdoba.
According to Ancestry.com, there are about 13,000 people with the last name Sotomayor in the United States, and most of them live in Florida, New York, California, and Texas. The name is also common in Puerto Rico, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and other Latin American countries.
The Family History of Marianna Sotomayor
Marianna Sotomayor was born on February 12, 1993, in Washington, D.C., to Dr. Eduardo Sotomayor and Dr. Maria Gavancho Sotomayor. Both of her parents are doctors who immigrated from Peru to pursue their careers in medicine. Her father is an oncologist and cancer researcher who is the director of the George Washington University Cancer Center. Her mother is a dermatologist who works at the GW University Hospital.
Marianna has a younger brother named Eduardo Jr., who is an art history student at New York University. She grew up in Tampa, Florida, where she attended the Academy of Holy Names, a Catholic school for girls. She graduated from George Washington University in 2015 with a degree in political communication. She also studied abroad in Madrid, Spain, where she learned Spanish and political science.
Marianna started her journalism career as an intern at NBC News in 2014. She worked her way up to become an associate producer and a political reporter for the network. She joined The Washington Post in 2020 as a congressional reporter.
The Family History of Sonia Sotomayor
Sonia Sotomayor was born on June 25, 1954, in The Bronx, New York City, to Juan Sotomayor and Celina Báez. Both of her parents were born in Puerto Rico and moved to the mainland during World War II. Her father was a factory worker who died when she was nine years old. Her mother was a nurse who raised her and her younger brother Juan Jr., who became a doctor.
Sonia grew up in a public housing project called Bronxdale Houses. She attended Blessed Sacrament School and Cardinal Spellman High School, both Catholic schools in The Bronx. She graduated from Princeton University in 1976 with a degree in history. She then attended Yale Law School, where she was an editor of the Yale Law Journal and graduated in 1979.
Sonia began her legal career as an assistant district attorney in Manhattan. She then worked as a private lawyer and a partner at Pavia & Harcourt. She was appointed as a federal judge by President George H.W. Bush in 1992 and by President Bill Clinton in 1998. She was nominated by President Barack Obama to the Supreme Court in 2009 and confirmed by the Senate later that year.
The Relationship Between Marianna and Sonia
Despite sharing a common surname and working in similar fields, Marianna Sotomayor and Sonia Sotomayor are not related by blood or marriage. They have different ethnic backgrounds, family histories, and personal experiences. They also have not had any private contact with each other, although they may have crossed paths professionally.
However, both women have expressed respect and admiration for each other’s achievements and contributions to society. Marianna has said that she is proud to share a name with Sonia, who is a role model for many young women and minorities. Sonia has said that she is impressed by Marianna’s work as a journalist and her dedication to informing the public.
Therefore, the truth behind the last name is that it is a coincidence, not a connection. Marianna Sotomayor and Sonia Sotomayor are two independent and successful women who happen to have the same surname, but not the same family tree.
