<P> Molina is a Spanish surname . It originated from medieval Spain, in the Christian Kingdom of Castile, when Manrique Pérez de Lara, of the House of Lara, in April 1154 issued a fuero to the town of Molina, nowadays called Molina de Aragón . Thus, the Molina surname is not an occupational surname related with molino (' mill'). It belongs to another Spanish surname, Molinero (literally:' miller'), to have been originated in the work and management of a mill . Nevertheless, Spanish municipalities like Molina de Segura (Murcia) or Molina de Aragón (Castilla - La Mancha) still nowadays include millstones or mill blades in their respective coats of arms (cf . coat of arms of Molina de Segura and Coats of arms of Molina de Aragón). </P> <Ul> <Li> Alfonso Quiñónez Molina (1874--1950), President of El Salvador twice 1918--1927 </Li> <Li> Alfred Molina (born 1953), English actor </Li> <Li> Alvaro de Molina (born 1957), American banker, chief financial officer of Bank of America Corporation </Li> <Li> Ángela Molina (born 1955), Spanish actress </Li> <Li> Antonio Muñoz Molina (born 1956), Spanish writer and member of the Royal Spanish Academy </Li> <Li> Antonio Sebastián de Toledo Molina y Salazar (1625--1710), viceroy of New Spain 1664--1673 </Li> <Li> Antonio Tejero Molina (born 1932), a Spanish Lieutenant - Colonel who attempted a coup d'état </Li> <Li> Arturo Armando Molina (born 1927), President of El Salvador 1972--1977 </Li> </Ul>

Where does the last name molina come from