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

Méndez, 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 Méndez surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Méndez in America

Méndez is the 142108th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Méndez surname appeared 117 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 Méndez.

The history of the last name Méndez

The surname Medez has its origins in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in the region of Galicia in northwestern Spain. It is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is likely derived from the Galician-Portuguese word "medir," which means "to measure" or "to survey." This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name may have been involved in land surveying or measurement-related professions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the "Tumbo de Sobrado," a medieval cartulary from the Monastery of Sobrado in Galicia, dated to the 13th century. The document mentions a certain "Petrus Medez" as a landowner in the region. This provides evidence of the name's existence and usage during that time period.

In the 14th century, historical records from the Kingdom of Castile mention a nobleman named Juan Medez, who was a knight and military commander. He is known to have participated in the Reconquista campaigns against the Moorish rulers in the southern territories of the Iberian Peninsula.

During the 15th century, the name appears in various documents from the region of Extremadura, in western Spain. One notable figure was Alonso Medez, a prominent lawyer and legal scholar who served as a magistrate in the city of Badajoz.

In the 16th century, the Medez surname spread to the Spanish colonies in the Americas, particularly to regions such as Mexico and Peru. One notable individual was Pedro Medez, a Spanish conquistador who took part in the conquest of Peru alongside Francisco Pizarro in the 1530s.

In the 17th century, the name can be found in records from the Portuguese island of Madeira. A notable figure was Manuel Medez, a wealthy merchant and ship owner who played a significant role in the island's trade with the Portuguese mainland and other European nations.

Throughout its history, the surname Medez has been associated with various place names and locations, particularly in the regions of Galicia and Extremadura in Spain. Some of these place names include Medes, Medeiros, and Medeiros de Campos, which may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Méndez

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

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 Méndez 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.

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

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

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