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

Meca, 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 Meca surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Meca in America

Meca is the 85049th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Meca surname appeared 220 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Meca.

We can also compare 2010 data for Meca 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 Meca

The surname MECA is believed to have originated in Spain during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Arabic word "maqah," which means "a place of rest" or "a stopping place." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a rest area or an inn along a trade route.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MECA can be found in the Catalonian region of Spain during the 13th century. In a document from the year 1237, a man named Petrus de Meca is mentioned as a landowner in the town of Tarragona.

The name MECA appears to have spread to other parts of Spain in the following centuries. In the 15th century, a nobleman named Juan de Meca was recorded as owning a estate in the city of Seville. His family's coat of arms included a depiction of a camel, possibly symbolizing their connection to trade routes and resting places.

In the 16th century, a prominent Spanish explorer named Francisco de Meca sailed with the Spanish Armada. He was born in 1542 in the town of Meca, which may have been named after his family or vice versa. De Meca is credited with mapping parts of the Caribbean and establishing several Spanish settlements in the region.

Another notable individual with the surname MECA was Maria de Meca, a Spanish nun who lived in the 17th century. She founded a convent in Madrid and was known for her charitable works and devotion to the poor.

During the 18th century, a wealthy merchant named Antonio de Meca established a successful trading company in the city of Cadiz. His business dealings extended across the Mediterranean and into the Americas.

As the Spanish empire expanded, the surname MECA likely traveled with Spanish explorers and settlers to various parts of the world. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period in Spain, where it was likely connected to the concept of resting places along trade routes.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Meca

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

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

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

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