2000
#7,613
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,026
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.49
Rare Last name
Mele
An Italian occupational surname referring to an apple grower or seller, derived from the Italian word for apple, "mela."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,364 Americans carry the last name Mele. That puts it at #8,328 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.27 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 78,541 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mele 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Mele with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.4K
1 in 78,541
Census rank
#8,328
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,806 bearers of the surname Mele in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.27 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8328th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mele, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.4%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mele
The surname Mele has its origins in Italy, specifically in the Calabrian region of southern Italy. It likely emerged in the late Middle Ages or early Renaissance period, around the 13th to 15th centuries.
The name Mele is believed to be derived from the Latin word "melis," meaning "honey." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to beekeepers or honey merchants in the region. Alternatively, it could also be linked to the Italian word "mela," meaning "apple," potentially indicating a connection to apple growers or traders.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Mele can be found in a document from the town of Cosenza, dated to the year 1428, which mentions a certain Antonello Mele. This suggests that the name was already established in the area by the early 15th century.
In the 16th century, there are records of a noble family named Mele residing in the town of Rende, near Cosenza. The family was notable for their involvement in local politics and landholdings. A prominent member of this family was Girolamo Mele, who served as a magistrate in the late 1500s.
Another notable figure bearing the surname Mele was Domenico Mele, a Baroque painter active in Naples during the 17th century. He was known for his religious works and was commissioned by several churches and patrons in the region.
Moving forward to the 18th century, there is mention of a philosopher and theologian named Giovanni Battista Mele, who was born in Castrovillari in 1701. He wrote extensively on metaphysics and ethics and was highly regarded in his time.
In the 19th century, a prominent figure with the surname Mele was Vincenzo Mele, an Italian politician and patriot who played a role in the Risorgimento, the movement for Italian unification. He was born in Catanzaro in 1808 and served as a deputy in the newly formed Parliament of the Kingdom of Italy.
These examples illustrate the long history and presence of the surname Mele in various parts of southern Italy, particularly in the Calabrian region. While the name may have originated from humble beginnings related to honey or apple cultivation, it has also been borne by notable individuals in various fields throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mele
Among Census respondents with the surname Mele, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.4%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Mele 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 Mele surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.4% · 3,439
- Hispanic or Latino5.4% · 206
- Two or more races2.1% · 79
- Black or African American1.1% · 41
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 35
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mele
Mele 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
#7,944
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,165
+139 bearers (+3.5%)
Per 100,000 1.41
Rank movement Down 331 places
2020
#8,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,806
-359 bearers (-8.6%)
Per 100,000 1.27
Rank movement Down 384 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,613 | 4,026 | 1.49 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,944 | 4,165 | 1.41 | +139 bearers (+3.5%) | Down 331 places |
| 2020 | #8,328 | 3,806 | 1.27 | -359 bearers (-8.6%) | Down 384 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 Mele 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 | #7,944 | #8,328 | -4.8% |
| Count | 4,165 | 3,806 | -8.6% |
| Per 100K | 1.41 | 1.27 | -9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mele bearers went from 4,165 to 3,806 (-8.6% change). The surname moved down 384 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,944 to #8,328.
FAQ
Mele surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mele?
Name Census estimates that about 4,364 living Americans carry the surname Mele. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 78,541 residents.
How common is Mele?
Mele ranks #8,328 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.27 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 3,806 people with the surname Mele. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,364), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.27 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.27 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 Mele.
Has Mele become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mele went from 4,165 recorded bearers to 3,806. That is a decrease of 359 (-8.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,944 to #8,328.
What does the Census say about the background of Mele?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mele, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.4%) and Two or More Races (2.1%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Mele in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.4% (3,439 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mele appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.4%), Hispanic (5.4%), Two or More Races (2.1%). 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 Mele (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 Mele mean?
An Italian occupational surname referring to an apple grower or seller, derived from the Italian word for apple, "mela." 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 Mele (1.27 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 have the last name Mele?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Mele is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.