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

Mejía, 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 Mejía surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mejía in America

Mejía is the 100791st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mejía surname appeared 179 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 Mejía.

The history of the last name Mejía

The surname Meija has its origins in Spain, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Spanish word "mejo," which means "better" or "improved." This name was likely given to someone who had made improvements or had achieved a higher status.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Meija can be found in the Cartulario de San Millán de la Cogolla, a medieval manuscript from the Monastery of San Millán de la Cogolla in La Rioja, Spain. This document, dating back to the 10th century, contains several references to individuals with the surname Meija.

In the 12th century, the name Meija appeared in the records of the Monasterio de Santa María la Real de Nájera, located in the town of Nájera, La Rioja. This suggests that the surname was prevalent in the region of La Rioja during this time period.

Notable individuals with the surname Meija throughout history include:

1. Fernán Meija (c. 1420-1495), a Spanish poet and courtier during the reign of King Juan II of Castile.
2. Pedro de Meija (c. 1460-1530), a Spanish navigator and explorer who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas.
3. Juan Meija (c. 1510-1580), a Spanish architect and military engineer who designed several fortifications in the Americas during the Spanish colonial era.
4. Gaspar Meija (c. 1570-1635), a Spanish painter known for his religious works, particularly those commissioned by the Franciscan order.
5. María Meija (c. 1630-1690), a renowned Spanish poet and playwright during the Golden Age of Spanish literature.

The surname Meija has also been associated with various place names in Spain, such as Meija de la Frontera, a town in the province of Seville, and Meija del Campo, a municipality in the province of Valladolid. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

While the surname Meija is not among the most common in Spain today, it remains an important part of the country's historical and cultural heritage, reflecting the diverse origins and contributions of its people.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mejía

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

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

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

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