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

Melly, 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 Melly surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Melly in America

Melly is the 87335th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Melly surname appeared 213 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 Melly.

We can also compare 2010 data for Melly 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 Melly

The surname Melly is believed to have originated in Italy, specifically in the region of Lombardy. It is thought to have derived from the Old Italian word "mella," which means "honey" or "sweet." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone with a sweet personality or disposition.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Melly can be found in a document from the 13th century, where it appeared as "Melli." This variation in spelling was common during that time period, as standardized spelling conventions had not yet been established.

During the Renaissance period, the Melly family was prominent in the city of Milan, where they were known for their involvement in the arts and literature. One notable figure from this time was Antonio Melly, a renowned poet and philosopher who lived from 1450 to 1520.

In the 16th century, the Melly name appeared in the records of the Republic of Venice, where several members of the family held influential positions within the government and the mercantile trade industry. One such individual was Marco Melly (1523-1587), a successful merchant and diplomat who represented the Republic's interests in various parts of Europe.

As the Melly family expanded and migrated to other regions of Italy, the name also took on various spellings, such as "Meli" and "Melle." This diversity in spelling can be seen in historical records from different parts of the country.

In the 18th century, the Melly name gained prominence in the southern region of Calabria, where a branch of the family established itself as landowners and influential figures in the local community. One notable individual from this period was Giuseppe Melly (1740-1812), a respected jurist and legal scholar whose works on civil law were widely studied.

Another significant figure was Francesca Melly (1798-1872), a philanthropist and advocate for women's education. She founded several schools and institutions dedicated to providing educational opportunities for girls in her native Calabria.

During the 19th century, the Melly name also found its way to other parts of Europe and even across the Atlantic. For instance, John Melly (1827-1903) was a British businessman and politician who served as a member of parliament for Liverpool. In the United States, Charles Melly (1854-1921) was a prominent architect who designed several notable buildings in New York City.

Throughout its history, the surname Melly has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including artists, scholars, merchants, and public figures. While the name may have originated from a humble nickname, it has since evolved to represent a rich tapestry of cultural and historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Melly

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

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

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

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