2010
#152,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Mejea
A surname of Spanish origin derived from the word "mejia" meaning acorn.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 116 Americans carry the last name Mejea. That puts it at #155,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,954,779 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mejea surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
116
1 in 2,954,779
Census rank
#155,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
101
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 101 bearers of the surname Mejea in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mejea, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 98.0%. The next largest groups are Black (1.0%) and Two or More Races (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mejea
The surname Mejea is believed to have originated in Spain, specifically in the region of Aragon. It is thought to have derived from the Spanish word "mejía," which means "little meadow" or "small pasture." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with families or individuals who lived in or near meadows or pastures.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Mejea can be found in the "Libro de Armería," a medieval Spanish armorial dating back to the 14th century. This document contains heraldic records and descriptions of noble families, indicating that the Mejea surname had already gained recognition among the Spanish nobility by that time.
In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the Mejea surname was Pedro Mejea, a Spanish soldier and explorer who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expeditions to the Americas. Pedro Mejea played a significant role in the conquest of Mexico and is mentioned in several historical accounts of the time.
Another prominent individual with the Mejea surname was Alonso Mejea de la Cerda, a Spanish nobleman and military leader who lived in the 16th century. He served as a captain in the Spanish army and participated in various military campaigns, earning a reputation for his bravery and leadership skills.
During the 17th century, a renowned historian and writer named Juan Antonio Mejea y Sandoval made significant contributions to Spanish literature. He authored several works on history, theology, and literature, and his writings provide valuable insights into the cultural and intellectual landscape of that era.
In the 18th century, a notable figure named María Josefa Mejea y Salazar gained recognition as a philanthropist and patron of the arts. She was instrumental in supporting various cultural and educational initiatives in Spain and was known for her generosity and dedication to promoting the arts and sciences.
Throughout history, the Mejea surname has also been associated with various place names and locations in Spain. For example, there is a town called Mejea in the province of Guadalajara, and another town called Mejea de la Sierra in the province of Soria. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.
Overall, the surname Mejea has a rich history that spans centuries and is deeply rooted in Spanish culture and tradition. Its origins can be traced back to the medieval period, and it has been carried by notable individuals from various walks of life, including soldiers, explorers, writers, noblemen, and philanthropists.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mejea
Among Census respondents with the surname Mejea, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 98.0%. The next largest groups are Black (1.0%) and Two or More Races (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Mejea bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Mejea surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino98.0% · 99
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
- Two or more races1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mejea
Mejea appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#155,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-6 bearers (-5.6%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 2,642 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #152,628 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #155,270 | 101 | 0.03 | -6 bearers (-5.6%) | Down 2,642 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Mejea surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #152,628 | #155,270 | -1.7% |
| Count | 107 | 101 | -5.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -15.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mejea bearers went from 107 to 101 (-5.6% change). The surname moved down 2,642 positions in the national ranking, going from #152,628 to #155,270.
FAQ
Mejea surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mejea?
Name Census estimates that about 116 living Americans carry the surname Mejea. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,954,779 residents.
How common is Mejea?
Mejea ranks #155,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 101 people with the surname Mejea. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (116), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Mejea.
Has Mejea become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mejea went from 107 recorded bearers to 101. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #152,628 to #155,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Mejea?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mejea, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 98.0%. The next largest groups are Black (1.0%) and Two or More Races (1.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Mejea in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.0% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mejea appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (98.0%), Black (1.0%), Two or More Races (1.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Mejea (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Mejea mean?
A surname of Spanish origin derived from the word "mejia" meaning acorn. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Mejea (0.03 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Mejea?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.