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

Mega, 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 Mega surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mega in America

Mega is the 61297th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mega surname appeared 328 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 Mega.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mega 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 Mega

The surname "MEGA" is believed to have originated in Greece, likely dating back to the Byzantine Empire era (around the 4th to 15th centuries). It is thought to have derived from the Greek word "megas," meaning "great" or "large," which suggests that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone of significant stature or importance.

During the Byzantine period, surnames were not widely used, and people were often identified by their given name, patronymic (father's name), or a descriptive epithet. The name "MEGA" may have emerged as a distinguishing moniker for individuals who held positions of power, wealth, or influence within their communities.

One of the earliest known records of the surname "MEGA" can be found in a 16th-century manuscript from the island of Crete, where it appears as "Megas." This spelling variation suggests that the name had already been established and potentially passed down through generations by that time.

In the 17th century, a notable figure named Ioannis Megas (ca. 1610-1680) was a Greek scholar and theologian who taught at the Patriarchal School in Constantinople (now Istanbul). His use of the surname "Megas" further solidified its presence in historical records.

Another significant individual bearing the "MEGA" surname was Konstantinos Megas (1770-1833), a Greek merchant and revolutionary who played a crucial role in the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire in the early 19th century.

During the 19th and 20th centuries, the surname "MEGA" gained prominence in various parts of Greece, particularly in regions like Macedonia, Thrace, and the Peloponnese peninsula. Several notable individuals with this surname emerged, including:

1. Georgios Megas (1893-1976), a Greek military officer and politician who served as Prime Minister of Greece from 1935 to 1936.
2. Alexandros Megas (1911-1986), a renowned Greek classical scholar and archaeologist who made significant contributions to the study of ancient Greek literature and culture.
3. Dimitrios Megas (1924-2012), a prominent Greek lawyer and politician who served as the Minister of Justice in the late 1970s.
4. Pavlos Megas (1925-2011), a celebrated Greek composer and conductor known for his contributions to Greek contemporary classical music.
5. Ekaterini Mega (born 1945), a Greek journalist and writer who has authored several books on social and political issues in Greece.

While the "MEGA" surname has its roots in Greece, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, its origins can be traced back to the Byzantine era, where it likely emerged as a descriptive name reflecting greatness or significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mega

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

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

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

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