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

Medélez, 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 Medélez surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Medélez in America

Medélez is the 67318th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Medélez surname appeared 293 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 Medélez.

We can also compare 2010 data for Medélez 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 Medélez

The surname Medelez has its origins in the region of Cantabria, in northern Spain, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Spanish word "medel," meaning "boundary" or "border," suggesting that the name may have been associated with those who lived near or guarded the boundaries of a particular area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Medelez name can be found in the archives of the Monastery of Santa María la Real de Nájera, where a certain Pedro Medelez is mentioned as a landowner in the year 1187. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by that time.

The Medelez family played a significant role in the history of Cantabria, with several members holding important positions within the local nobility and clergy. In the 14th century, a Juan Medelez served as a knight in the court of King Alfonso XI of Castile, and his descendants continued to hold influential positions in the region for generations.

During the 15th century, the Medelez surname began to spread beyond Cantabria, with members of the family settling in other parts of Spain, as well as in the Spanish colonies in the Americas. One notable figure from this period was Rodrigo Medelez, who was born in Santander in 1472 and later became a renowned explorer and navigator in the service of the Spanish Crown.

As the name Medelez spread, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Medeliz, Medeles, and Medelés. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and scribal errors in historical documents.

Another prominent individual bearing the Medelez surname was María Medelez, a 16th-century poet and writer from Valladolid, whose works were highly regarded in her time. In the 17th century, a Juan Medelez served as a captain in the Spanish Navy and played a crucial role in the defense of the Spanish colony of Florida against English and French attacks.

Over the centuries, the Medelez name has continued to be represented in various fields, including politics, academia, and the arts. Some notable figures include Javier Medelez, a 19th-century Spanish politician and diplomat, and Alejandro Medelez, a renowned 20th-century sculptor whose works can be found in galleries and public spaces throughout Spain.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Medélez

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

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

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

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