2000
#41,522
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 494
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.18
Rare Last name
Mekonnen
A surname originating from Ethiopia, derived from the Amharic word "Mekonen" meaning "the pillar".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,527 Americans carry the last name Mekonnen. That puts it at #13,266 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.74 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 135,637 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mekonnen 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
2.5K
1 in 135,637
Census rank
#13,266
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,204 bearers of the surname Mekonnen in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.74 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13266th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mekonnen, the largest self-reported group is Black at 96.5%. The next largest groups are White (1.4%) and Two or More Races (1.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mekonnen
The surname MEKONNEN has its origins in Ethiopia, tracing back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Amharic word "mekonnen," meaning "the esteemed one" or "the respected one." This name was initially given to individuals who held positions of honor or authority within their communities.
The earliest recorded instance of the name MEKONNEN can be found in the Kebra Nagast, a 14th-century literary work that chronicles the Solomonic dynasty of Ethiopia. The text mentions a nobleman named Mekonnen who served as a trusted advisor to one of the emperors.
During the late 15th century, the name MEKONNEN gained further prominence when it was adopted by a prominent family from the province of Shewa. This family played a significant role in the political and military affairs of the Ethiopian Empire, with several members holding high-ranking positions within the imperial court.
One notable figure bearing the surname MEKONNEN was Dejazmach Mekonnen Wolde-Michael, a 19th-century military leader who served as the governor of Shewa province under Emperor Menelik II. His skillful leadership and military prowess were instrumental in expanding the borders of the Ethiopian Empire during that era.
Another prominent individual with the surname MEKONNEN was Lij Iyasu Mekonnen, who was briefly the heir apparent to the Ethiopian throne in the early 20th century. Although his reign was short-lived, his life and controversies surrounding his reign have been the subject of numerous historical accounts and debates.
In the 20th century, the surname MEKONNEN gained international recognition through the exploits of Ras Bitwaddad Makonnen Endalkachew, a distinguished diplomat and statesman who served as the Foreign Minister of Ethiopia during the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie I. He played a crucial role in negotiating Ethiopia's entry into the League of Nations and was a vocal advocate for the country's interests on the global stage.
Throughout its history, the surname MEKONNEN has been associated with individuals of notable influence and stature within Ethiopian society. While it originated as a title denoting respect and honor, it has evolved into a distinguished family name that carries a rich legacy and tradition.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mekonnen
Among Census respondents with the surname Mekonnen, the largest self-reported group is Black at 96.5%. The next largest groups are White (1.4%) and Two or More Races (1.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Mekonnen 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 Mekonnen surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American96.5% · 2,126
- White1.4% · 30
- Two or more races1.1% · 24
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 18
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mekonnen
Mekonnen appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#20,961
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,256
+762 bearers (+154.3%)
Per 100,000 0.43
Rank movement Up 20,561 places
2020
#13,266
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,204
+948 bearers (+75.5%)
Per 100,000 0.74
Rank movement Up 7,695 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #41,522 | 494 | 0.18 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #20,961 | 1,256 | 0.43 | +762 bearers (+154.3%) | Up 20,561 places |
| 2020 | #13,266 | 2,204 | 0.74 | +948 bearers (+75.5%) | Up 7,695 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 Mekonnen 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 | #20,961 | #13,266 | 36.7% |
| Count | 1,256 | 2,204 | 75.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.43 | 0.74 | 71.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mekonnen bearers went from 1,256 to 2,204 (+75.5% change). The surname moved up 7,695 positions in the national ranking, going from #20,961 to #13,266.
FAQ
Mekonnen surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mekonnen?
Name Census estimates that about 2,527 living Americans carry the surname Mekonnen. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 135,637 residents.
How common is Mekonnen?
Mekonnen ranks #13,266 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.74 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,204 people with the surname Mekonnen. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,527), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.74 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.74 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Mekonnen.
Has Mekonnen become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mekonnen went from 1,256 recorded bearers to 2,204. That is an increase of 948 (+75.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #20,961 to #13,266.
What does the Census say about the background of Mekonnen?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mekonnen, the largest self-reported group is Black at 96.5%. The next largest groups are White (1.4%) and Two or More Races (1.1%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Mekonnen in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.5% (2,126 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mekonnen appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (96.5%), White (1.4%), Two or More Races (1.1%). 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 Mekonnen (2000, 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 Mekonnen mean?
A surname originating from Ethiopia, derived from the Amharic word "Mekonen" meaning "the pillar". 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 Mekonnen (0.74 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 people are called Mekonnen?
See how many people have the surname Mekonnen on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.