2000
#127,948
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Melish
A surname with Anglo-Saxon origins meaning "servant of Melo."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Melish. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Melish 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
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Melish in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Melish, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Melish
The surname Melish is of English origin, with roots traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from a place name, possibly "Mellish" or a variation thereof, which was likely a small village or hamlet in one of the English counties.
During the 13th century, the name appeared in various records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, where it was spelled "Melushe." This early spelling suggests that the name may have been influenced by the Old French word "melusine," which referred to a legendary fairy-like creature.
In the 14th century, the surname was recorded as "Melissh" in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, indicating its presence in that region. This spelling variation highlights the fluidity of surnames during that era, as they were often adapted based on local dialects and pronunciations.
The earliest known bearer of the name was William Melish, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1285. Another notable figure was John Melish, a merchant and landowner from Yorkshire, who lived during the late 15th century.
In the 16th century, the surname was found in various parts of England, including Derbyshire, where it was recorded as "Melushe" in the Muster Rolls of 1539. Around the same time, a Thomas Melish was listed in the Parish Registers of St. Mary's Church in Nottingham.
During the 17th century, the name gained prominence with the birth of Robert Melish (1619-1685), a prominent clergyman and author from Lincolnshire. He wrote several theological works and served as a rector in various parishes.
Another notable figure was John Melish (1670-1743), a renowned mathematician and astronomer from Northumberland. He made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics and was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1714.
In the 18th century, the surname was found in various parts of Britain, with records indicating its presence in counties such as Lancashire, Cheshire, and Somerset. One notable bearer was Samuel Melish (1732-1809), a celebrated artist and engraver from London, known for his intricate landscapes and portraits.
As the centuries passed, the Melish surname continued to spread across different regions of England, with some bearers eventually migrating to other parts of the world, carrying the name with them.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Melish
Among Census respondents with the surname Melish, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Melish 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 Melish surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.6% · 105
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 4
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Melish
Melish 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
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
-8 bearers (-6.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 16,193 places
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
-4 bearers (-3.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,524 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #127,948 | 123 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-6.5%) | Down 16,193 places |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | -4 bearers (-3.5%) | Down 4,524 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 Melish 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 | #144,141 | #148,665 | -3.1% |
| Count | 115 | 111 | -3.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Melish bearers went from 115 to 111 (-3.5% change). The surname moved down 4,524 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #148,665.
FAQ
Melish surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Melish?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Melish. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Melish?
Melish ranks #148,665 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 111 people with the surname Melish. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Melish.
Has Melish become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Melish went from 115 recorded bearers to 111. That is a decrease of 4 (-3.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Melish?
Among Census respondents with the surname Melish, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (1.8%). 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 Melish in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.6% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Melish appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.6%), Hispanic (3.6%), Two or More Races (1.8%). 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 Melish (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 Melish mean?
A surname with Anglo-Saxon origins meaning "servant of Melo." 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 Melish (0.04 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 share the surname Melish?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.