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

Medel, 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 Medel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Medel in America

Medel is the 7224th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Medel surname appeared 4,620 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Medel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Medel 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 Medel

The surname Medel originated in Spain, with its roots traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word "medela," which means "remedy" or "cure," suggesting that the name may have been associated with individuals involved in the medical profession or healing practices during that era.

In the early days, the Medel name was primarily concentrated in the regions of Andalusia and Extremadura in southern Spain. Historical records from the 13th century mention the name in connection with various noble families and landowners in these areas.

One of the earliest documented references to the Medel surname can be found in the Libro de la Montería, a medieval hunting treatise compiled in the 14th century under the patronage of King Alfonso XI of Castile. This text mentions a certain Fernan Medel, who was a huntsman in the service of the king.

The Medel name also appears in several legal documents and property records from the 15th and 16th centuries in Spain, indicating the family's presence and influence during that period. Some notable individuals bearing this surname include:

1. Juan Medel (1535-1615), a Spanish priest and author who wrote extensively on religious topics.
2. Diego Medel de Munebrega (1570-1633), a Spanish historian and writer known for his works on the history of Aragon.
3. Pedro Medel (1628-1693), a Spanish sculptor and architect who contributed to various architectural projects in Madrid and Seville.
4. Tomás Medel (1760-1823), a Spanish military officer and politician who served as a government minister during the reign of Ferdinand VII.
5. Ramón Medel (1810-1887), a Spanish painter and lithographer known for his portraits and landscapes.

The Medel surname has also been documented in various forms and spellings throughout history, such as Medele, Medell, and Medelle, reflecting regional variations and linguistic influences over time.

While the name Medel has its roots in Spain, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly Latin America, through Spanish migration and colonization. However, the historical origins and earliest recorded instances of this surname can be traced back to the Iberian Peninsula.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Medel

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

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

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

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