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

Melhem, 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 Melhem surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Melhem in America

Melhem is the 64200th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Melhem surname appeared 310 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 Melhem.

We can also compare 2010 data for Melhem 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 Melhem

The surname MELHEM is of Arabic origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle East region. It is believed to have originated in the ancient city of Damascus, located in present-day Syria, during the 7th century CE.

MELHEM is derived from the Arabic word "malham," which means "refuge" or "shelter." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to individuals who provided sanctuary or protection to others during times of conflict or hardship.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the MELHEM name can be found in the "Kitab al-Aghani," an influential collection of Arabic poems and songs compiled in the 9th century CE. The work includes references to a poet named Abu al-Melham, who lived during the Umayyad Caliphate in the 7th century.

As the Arabic culture and language spread throughout the Middle East and North Africa, the MELHEM surname was carried by families and individuals to various regions, including Egypt, Lebanon, and Palestine.

Notable individuals bearing the MELHEM surname throughout history include:

1. Ahmed Melhem (1888-1963), a prominent Egyptian writer and journalist known for his contributions to Arabic literature.
2. Rashid Melhem (1910-1989), a Lebanese politician who served as the Prime Minister of Lebanon from 1973 to 1974.
3. Naim Melhem (1915-1990), a Palestinian scholar and academic who specialized in Islamic studies and Arabic literature.
4. Nabil Melhem (1940-2022), a Syrian-born American psychiatrist and professor at the University of Pittsburgh, known for his research on mental health disorders.
5. Marwan Melhem (born 1965), a Lebanese actor and comedian renowned for his work in television and film.

While the MELHEM name has its origins in the Arabic world, it has since spread to various parts of the globe through migration and diaspora communities. However, its strong ties to the Middle East and its linguistic and cultural significance remain deeply rooted in its history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Melhem

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

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

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

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