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

Meche, 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 Meche surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Meche in America

Meche is the 14814th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Meche surname appeared 2,002 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 Meche.

We can also compare 2010 data for Meche 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 Meche

The surname MECHE has its origins in France, tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "mesche," meaning "wick" or "fuse," which was likely an occupational name for a candlemaker or someone who worked with wicks or fuses.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Meche" in the county of Normandy. This suggests that the name was already established in the region before the Norman Conquest of England.

During the medieval period, the name was primarily concentrated in the northern regions of France, particularly in Normandy and Brittany. Several variations of the spelling existed, such as "Mèche," "Mesché," and "Meschée," reflecting the regional dialects and scribal conventions of the time.

A notable figure bearing this surname was Jean Meche, a French merchant and explorer who lived in the late 16th century. He is known for his travels to the New World and his accounts of the indigenous peoples he encountered.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Meche family settled in the region of Poitou, where they played a significant role in the local community. One member, Jacques Meche (1621-1692), served as a mayor and was involved in the region's wine trade.

Another prominent individual was Marie-Anne Meche (1718-1794), a French philosopher and writer who was part of the Enlightenment movement. Her works on education and women's rights were influential during her time.

The name also found its way to England during the Norman Conquest, where it was sometimes anglicized to "Mitch" or "Mech." One such example is Richard Mech, a landowner in Gloucestershire mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of 1190.

In the 19th century, a notable figure was Louis-Auguste Meche (1832-1901), a French military officer and explorer who led expeditions in North Africa and the Middle East. His detailed accounts and maps contributed significantly to the understanding of these regions.

Throughout its history, the surname MECHE has been associated with various occupations, from candlemakers and merchants to intellectuals and explorers, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of those who bore this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Meche

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

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

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

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