In the forms of Muntuf and Mintuf, this surname can be found on the Maltese islands as early as 1486, with its current spelling being a relatively recent evolution. From an Arabic nickname mintûf, meaning "plucked" (be it feathers, eyebrows etc) and most likely refers to someone who had a habit of plucking his beard. A relatively complex coat of arms, it incorporates a trio of cypress trees, often considered the 'mournful tree' and associated with grief and lamentation.