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

Melaku, 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 Melaku surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Melaku in America

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

The Melaku 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 Melaku.

We can also compare 2010 data for Melaku 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 Melaku

The surname MELAKU has its origins in Ethiopia, where it first emerged in the 15th century. It is derived from the Amharic word "melak," which means "king" or "ruler." The name likely originated among the ruling classes or aristocracy of the ancient Ethiopian kingdoms.

During the reign of the Solomonic dynasty in Ethiopia, which lasted from the 13th to the 20th century, the name MELAKU was borne by several prominent figures. One notable individual was Melaku, a 15th-century prince and son of Emperor Zara Yaqob, who ruled from 1434 to 1468.

In the 16th century, the name appears in historical records related to the Ethiopian-Adal War, a conflict between the Ethiopian Empire and the Adal Sultanate. Melaku, a commander in the Ethiopian army, is mentioned in chronicles of this period for his bravery and military prowess.

The oldest known written reference to the surname MELAKU can be found in the Kebra Nagast, a 14th-century literary work that chronicles the lineage of the Solomonic dynasty. This ancient text mentions several individuals bearing the name, indicating its longstanding presence in Ethiopian society.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name MELAKU is Melaku Tsadik, a 17th-century Ethiopian monk and scholar known for his contributions to the study of Ge'ez, the ancient Semitic language of Ethiopia. His works on grammar and philology were highly influential in their time.

Another notable figure was Melaku Jembra, a 19th-century Ethiopian ruler and member of the Shewan dynasty. He governed the region of Jembra in what is now central Ethiopia and played a significant role in the power struggles that characterized that era.

Throughout history, the surname MELAKU has been associated with individuals of influence and authority, reflecting its roots in the Amharic word for "king" or "ruler." While not an exhaustive list, these examples illustrate the rich heritage and historical significance of this surname within the Ethiopian context.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Melaku

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

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

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

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