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

Mellette, 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 Mellette surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mellette in America

Mellette is the 56444th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mellette surname appeared 362 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 Mellette.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mellette 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 Mellette

The surname Mellette has its origins in France, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 12th century. The name is derived from the Old French word "mellette," which referred to a type of small mallet or hammer used by stonemasons and carpenters. This suggests that the name may have originally been an occupational surname, given to those who worked with hammers or mallets in their trade.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Guillaume Mellette, a stonemason from the village of Mellette in the Normandy region of France, mentioned in a church record from 1189. The village itself likely took its name from the Old French word "melle," meaning a small hill or mound, indicating that the area was perhaps known for its rolling terrain.

In the 13th century, the Mellette name appears in the records of the Abbey of St. Wandrille, a Benedictine monastery in Normandy, where a certain Robert Mellette is listed as a donor to the abbey in 1247. This suggests that by this time, the Mellette family had established itself as a prominent one in the region.

As the name spread across France, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Mellet, Mellette, and Mellete. One notable bearer of the name was Jean Mellette, a successful merchant from Lyon who lived in the late 15th century and was known for his trade with the Italian city-states.

In the 16th century, the Mellette name made its way to England, likely carried by Norman settlers or merchants. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in England is that of Thomas Mellette, a merchant from Bristol who was mentioned in a trade document from 1527.

Over the centuries, the Mellette name has been borne by several notable individuals, including:

1. Pierre Mellette (1598-1668), a French painter and engraver known for his religious works in the Baroque style.
2. Antoine Mellette (1713-1785), a French botanist and explorer who accompanied the Comte de Bougainville on his voyages to the South Pacific.
3. Marie Mellette (1776-1835), a French playwright and author whose works were popular in the early 19th century.
4. John Mellette (1835-1909), an American politician and lawyer who served as the 14th Governor of South Dakota.
5. Arthur Mellette (1842-1896), an American soldier and politician who served as the first Governor of South Dakota after it became a state in 1889.

While the Mellette name may have originated as an occupational surname, it has since become a part of the cultural heritage of various regions, reflecting the diverse histories and migrations of those who have borne it over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mellette

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

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

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

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