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

Mead, 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 Mead surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mead in America

Mead is the 1578th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mead surname appeared 22,727 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 8 people would have the surname Mead.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mead 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 Mead

The surname Mead is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "mæd," which means meadow or a tract of grass land used for pasture. This name originated as a topographic surname, given to someone who lived near or worked on a meadow.

In medieval England, people were often identified by their association with a particular place or landscape feature. The surname Mead first appeared in records during the 11th century, shortly after the Norman Conquest of 1066. One of the earliest recorded instances was in the Domesday Book of 1086, where the name was listed as "Mede" and "Meade."

During the 12th and 13th centuries, the name began to appear in various forms, such as "Mede," "Meade," and "Mead," reflecting regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. Some notable early bearers of the name include John atte Mede, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk in 1199, and Robert de la Mede, recorded in the Curia Regis Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1221.

As the surname spread across England, it became associated with certain place names, such as Mead in Hampshire and Meadway in Gloucestershire. These place names likely influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in different regions.

Throughout history, several prominent individuals have borne the surname Mead. One notable figure was Joseph Mead (1586-1638), an English Puritan minister and author who played a significant role in the formative years of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Another was Richard Mead (1673-1754), an eminent English physician and influential figure in the development of modern medical practice.

Other notable individuals with the surname Mead include George Herbert Mead (1863-1931), an American philosopher and social psychologist known for his work on symbolic interactionism; Margaret Mead (1901-1978), an influential American cultural anthropologist known for her studies of traditional societies in the Pacific; and Patrick Mead (1914-2017), an English diplomat and educator who served as Secretary-General of the European Cultural Convention.

While the surname Mead originated in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration. Today, the name can be found in various countries, reflecting its enduring historical and cultural significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mead

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

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 Mead 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 Mead 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 Mead was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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