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

Melita, 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 Melita surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Melita in America

Melita is the 59171st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Melita surname appeared 342 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 Melita.

We can also compare 2010 data for Melita 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 Melita

Melita is a surname of Greek origin, derived from the ancient Greek word "meli" meaning honey. It is believed to have originated on the Mediterranean island of Malta, which was known in ancient times as Melita.

The earliest recorded use of the surname Melita dates back to the 11th century, when it was found in historical records from the Byzantine Empire. During this time, the name was often associated with individuals from the island of Malta or those who had connections to the island.

In the 13th century, the surname Melita appeared in the Venetian archives, indicating that individuals with this name had established themselves in the maritime city-state of Venice. This was likely due to the strong trade ties between Venice and the Mediterranean region, including Malta.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Melita was Giovanni Melita, a Maltese merchant who lived in the late 14th century. He is mentioned in several historical documents related to trade activities in the region.

During the Renaissance period, the surname Melita gained prominence in Italy, particularly in the city of Florence. Bartolomeo Melita (1455-1528) was a renowned humanist scholar and philosopher who served as a professor at the University of Florence.

In the 16th century, the surname Melita spread to other parts of Europe, including Spain and France. Juan Melita (1520-1585) was a Spanish navigator and explorer who participated in several expeditions to the Americas.

As the centuries passed, the surname Melita continued to be associated with individuals of Maltese descent or those with connections to the island. Domenico Melita (1685-1758) was a Maltese architect and engineer known for his contributions to the fortifications of the island.

In more recent times, notable individuals with the surname Melita include Carmelo Melita (1896-1971), an Italian-American artist and sculptor, and Joseph Melita (1920-2007), a Maltese politician and government minister.

While the surname Melita has its roots in the Mediterranean region, particularly Malta, it has spread to various parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, it remains closely tied to its Greek and Maltese origins, reflecting the rich history and cultural heritage of the island.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Melita

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

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

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

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