Med last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Med

An ethnic surname derived from the Arabic word "med" meaning "city."

Med, 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 Med surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Med in America

Med is the 111119th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Med surname appeared 147 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Med.

The history of the last name Med

The surname Med has its roots in several cultures, predominantly seen in regions of Europe. The name is most commonly associated with Slavic and Germanic origins, appearing around the 12th century. In Slavic regions, Med is derived from the word med, which means honey. This could have indicated a family's trade in honey or beekeeping. The Germanic roots also offer a similar interpretation, as med means meadow in Old High German, suggesting a geographical feature associated with the family.

Early records of the surname Med can be traced back to medieval manuscripts. One of the earliest appearances is in a 13th-century Slavic document where a landowner named Ivan Med was mentioned. This indicates that the name might have been used as a byname referring to a location or occupation before becoming a hereditary surname.

In Germany, the name Med is found in a 14th-century tax register in the region of Bavaria. A farmer named Hans Med is recorded, indicating the geographical usage of the name. Bavarian place names such as Medfeld and Medhausen also imply settlement or family ownership, reflecting the Old High German roots of the name.

Famous historical figures with the surname Med include the 16th-century Bohemian alchemist Rudolph Med, who was renowned for his work in Prague. Another notable figure is Maria Med, a 17th-century Austrian poet whose works were celebrated in Viennese literary circles. In the 18th century, the name appears with Johan Med, an influential Danish merchant known for his trade with the Baltic states.

Further historical prominence is seen in the 19th century with the name Josef Med, a Czech political activist who played a role in the 1848 revolutions across Europe. Finally, in the early 20th century, the Polish historian Anna Med contributed extensively to the study of medieval Slavic culture, leaving a lasting impact on the academic community.

The evolution and geographic spread of the surname Med demonstrate its diverse origins and the various ways it was adopted by families across Europe. From its associations with sweet honey and verdant meadows to its presence in historical documents and the lives of influential people, the surname Med offers a rich tapestry of cultural and historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Med

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

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 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Med was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 69.39% 102
Non-Hispanic Black Only 11.56% 17
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 6.80% 10
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 5.44% 8
Hispanic Origin 6.80% 10

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.

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

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

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"Med last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on May 14, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/med-surname-popularity/.

"Med last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/med-surname-popularity/. Accessed 14 May, 2025

Med last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/med-surname-popularity/.

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