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

Melko, 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 Melko surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Melko in America

Melko is the 66164th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Melko surname appeared 299 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 Melko.

We can also compare 2010 data for Melko 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 Melko

The surname Melko is of Finnish origin, tracing its roots back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the village of Melkola, located in the southwestern region of Finland. The name Melkola itself is derived from the Finnish words "melko" meaning "pretty" and "ola" which is a diminutive suffix, essentially translating to "pretty little one."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Melko can be found in the Finnish church records of the late 1500s, where a farmer named Matti Melko was documented as residing in the parish of Nousiainen, near the city of Turku. This record provides evidence of the name's usage during that time period.

In the 17th century, the name Melko appeared in the city of Porvoo, located on the southern coast of Finland. Historical documents from that era mention a merchant named Jaakko Melko, who was engaged in trade with neighboring regions. This suggests that the name had spread beyond its original area of origin.

During the 18th century, a notable figure bearing the surname Melko was Heikki Melko, a Finnish soldier who fought in the Russian-Swedish War of 1808-1809. Melko's bravery and valor were recognized, and he was awarded a medal for his service.

In the 19th century, the name Melko gained prominence with the birth of Juho Melko (1834-1912), a renowned Finnish educator and writer. Melko authored several books on Finnish language and literature, and his works played a significant role in preserving and promoting the Finnish cultural heritage.

Another notable individual with the surname Melko was Aino Melko (1892-1972), a Finnish artist and sculptor. Her works were widely exhibited throughout Finland and Europe, and she is considered one of the pioneers of modern Finnish sculpture.

While the surname Melko is predominantly found in Finland, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration. However, its origins and historical significance can be traced back to the Finnish villages and towns where it first emerged centuries ago.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Melko

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

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

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

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