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

Mello, 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 Mello surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mello in America

Mello is the 3076th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mello surname appeared 11,670 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Mello.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mello 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 Mello

The surname Mello is of Portuguese origin, derived from the Latin word "mellus" meaning "honey-colored" or "golden." It is believed to have originated in the northern regions of Portugal during the Middle Ages.

The earliest recorded examples of the Mello surname can be traced back to the 12th century, with mentions in historical records and manuscripts from this period. One notable reference is found in the Livro Velho de Linhagens (Old Book of Lineages), a medieval Portuguese genealogical work from the 13th century, which mentions several individuals with the Mello name.

In the 14th century, the Mello family gained prominence in Portugal, with members holding influential positions in the royal court and serving as military leaders. One such figure was Martim Afonso de Mello (c. 1330-1396), a renowned Portuguese military commander who played a crucial role in the Portuguese conquest of Ceuta in 1415.

During the Age of Exploration, the Mello surname spread across the Portuguese territories and colonies. Pedro de Mello (c. 1490-1536), a Portuguese explorer and colonial administrator, was appointed the first Captain-General of the Captaincy of São Vicente in Brazil in 1532.

Another notable figure was Francisco Manuel de Mello (1608-1666), a Portuguese writer, poet, and diplomat who served as ambassador to various European courts. His literary works, including the novel "Epanáforas de Vária História Portuguesa" (Epanaphoras of Various Portuguese History), are considered classics of Portuguese literature.

The Mello surname also gained prominence in the New World, particularly in Brazil. One example is Sebastião José de Carvalho e Mello (1699-1782), better known as the Marquis of Pombal, a Portuguese statesman and Prime Minister who implemented significant reforms in Portugal and its colonies during the reign of King José I.

Over the centuries, the Mello surname has been found in various spellings, such as Melo, Mellow, and Melhaud, reflecting the influence of different languages and regional variations. Despite these variations, the surname remains closely linked to its Portuguese roots and the historical figures who have carried it throughout the ages.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mello

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!