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

Mekonen, 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 Mekonen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mekonen in America

Mekonen is the 52267th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mekonen surname appeared 397 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 Mekonen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mekonen 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 Mekonen

The surname MEKONEN is of Ethiopian origin, originating from the Amharic language. It dates back to at least the 13th century during the Solomonic dynasty of Ethiopia.

The name MEKONEN is derived from the Amharic word "mekon" which means "keeper" or "guardian". It was likely given as a descriptive surname to someone who held a position of guardianship or protection, perhaps a royal guard or a protector of a religious institution.

One of the earliest known references to the name MEKONEN can be found in the Kebra Nagast, a 14th-century literary work that records the history and lineage of the Solomonic dynasty. The text mentions a certain Abba MEKONEN who was a prominent religious leader and scholar during that time.

In the 16th century, a man named Zara MEKONEN was recorded as a high-ranking official in the court of Emperor Gelawdewos. He is noted for his role in negotiating a peace treaty between the Christian kingdom of Ethiopia and the Muslim sultanates of the region.

During the 17th century, the name MEKONEN was also associated with the Gonderine period of Ethiopian history, which saw the rise of the city of Gondar as the capital. Records from this time mention a nobleman named Tekle MEKONEN who served as a governor in the province of Begemder.

In the 19th century, a renowned Ethiopian scholar and poet named Aleka MEKONEN gained fame for his works that preserved and documented the oral traditions and folklore of the Amhara people.

Another notable figure with the surname MEKONEN was Dejazmach Girmachew MEKONEN, a military commander who played a crucial role in the Battle of Adwa in 1896, where Ethiopian forces defeated the invading Italian army, solidifying Ethiopia's independence.

The surname MEKONEN continues to be prevalent in various regions of Ethiopia, particularly among the Amhara and Tigray ethnic groups. It has been borne by numerous individuals throughout Ethiopian history, reflecting its long-standing and esteemed heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mekonen

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

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

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

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