Mellencamp
A German name meaning "citizen of the town Mellencamp".
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 274 Americans carry the last name Mellencamp. That puts it at #81,181 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,250,928 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mellencamp surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
274
1 in 1,250,928
Census rank
#81,181
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
233
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 233 bearers of the surname Mellencamp in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 81181st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mellencamp, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.1%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mellencamp
The surname Mellencamp is of German origin, derived from the German word "mühlencamp," which translates to "mill field" or "mill meadow." It is believed to have originated in the 16th or 17th century as a descriptive name for someone who lived near a mill or worked as a miller.
Historically, the name was prevalent in the regions of Bavaria and Swabia in southern Germany, where many mills were located along rivers and streams. Early records show variations in spelling, such as Mühlenkamp, Muhlenkamp, and Muhlenkampe.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the church records of Ellwangen, Württemberg, Germany, where a Johann Mellencamp was born in 1680. Another notable early reference is the birth of Johann Georg Mellencamp in Hüttlingen, Baden-Württemberg, in 1714.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, many German immigrants bearing the name Mellencamp settled in various parts of the United States, particularly in the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in America is that of Johann Friedrich Mellencamp, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1749.
Among the notable individuals with the surname Mellencamp throughout history are:
1. Johann Wilhelm Mellencamp (1779-1847), a German painter and engraver from Württemberg.
2. Wilhelm Mellencamp (1833-1906), a German-American teacher and writer who settled in Illinois.
3. John Mellencamp (born 1951), an American singer-songwriter and musician, known for hits like "Jack & Diane" and "Pink Houses."
4. Theodore Mellencamp (1893-1963), an American actor and vaudeville performer, best known for his role in the film "The Grapes of Wrath."
5. Elise Mellencamp (1908-1998), an American artist and sculptor, known for her works in bronze and stone.
While the surname Mellencamp is not among the most common in the world, it has a rich history dating back to its German origins and has been carried by notable individuals across various fields throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mellencamp
Among Census respondents with the surname Mellencamp, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.1%.
The bar chart below shows how Mellencamp bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Mellencamp surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White99.1%
- Unknown or suppressed0.9%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Mellencamp surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #76,700 | #81,181 | -5.8% |
| Count | 233 | 233 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.09 | 0.08 | -11.1% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Mellencamp bearers went from 233 to 233 (+0.0% change). The surname moved down 4,481 positions in the national ranking, going from #76,700 to #81,181.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Mellencamp
FAQ
Mellencamp surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Mellencamp?
The surname Mellencamp holds position #81,181 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 274 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Mellencamp surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mellencamp, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.1%. These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.