Find out how popular the last name DeMelo is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named DeMelo.

DeMelo, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the DeMelo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of DeMelo in America

DeMelo is the 16734th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The DeMelo surname appeared 1,709 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname DeMelo.

We can also compare 2010 data for DeMelo to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name DeMelo

The surname DEMELO has its origins in Portugal, dating back to the 15th century. It is derived from the Portuguese word "de" meaning "from" and "Melo," a town located in the district of Évora in southern Portugal. The name likely originated from a person who hailed from this town or its surrounding areas.

DEMELO is believed to have first appeared in historical records during the reign of King Afonso V of Portugal (1432-1481). One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in a document from 1472, which mentions a certain João DEMELO, a nobleman and landowner in the region of Alentejo.

During the Age of Exploration in the 16th century, some individuals bearing the DEMELO surname ventured beyond the shores of Portugal as explorers, conquistadors, and colonists. Notable among them was Francisco DEMELO, who was born in 1520 and participated in the conquest of Brazil, serving as a captain under the renowned Portuguese explorer Tomé de Sousa.

In the 17th century, the DEMELO family gained prominence in Portugal, with several members holding influential positions in the royal court. One such figure was Diogo DEMELO (1578-1655), who served as a diplomat and ambassador to various European courts, including those of France and England.

As the centuries passed, the DEMELO surname spread to various parts of the world, including Brazil, where it is still commonly found today. One of the most famous Brazilians with this surname was the writer and journalist Patrícia DEMELO (1962-1992), known for her influential works on social and political issues.

Other notable individuals with the DEMELO surname include the Portuguese politician and diplomat António DEMELO (1802-1866), who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs during the reign of King Pedro V, and the Spanish actor and director Manuel DEMELO (1954-2020), renowned for his work in both film and theater.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name DeMelo

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname DeMelo.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for DeMelo was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of DeMelo has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name DeMelo was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of DeMelo, please contact us.

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