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

Melquíades, 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 Melquíades surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Melquíades in America

Melquíades is the 109758th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Melquíades surname appeared 161 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 Melquíades.

The history of the last name Melquíades

The surname Melquiades has its origins in the Spanish language and can be traced back to the late 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Hebrew name Melchizedek, which means "king of righteousness." This name was later adapted into Spanish as Melquisedec and eventually evolved into the form Melquiades.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Melquiades can be found in the Spanish town of Extremadura, where a family bearing this name resided in the late 1400s. During this period, the name was also present in various regions of Spain, such as Andalusia and Castile.

In the 16th century, the surname Melquiades appeared in several historical documents, including parish records and municipal archives. One notable mention is found in the "Libro de Bautismos" (Book of Baptisms) of the city of Seville, where a child named Juan Melquiades was baptized in 1587.

The name Melquiades gained prominence in the 17th century, with several individuals bearing this surname achieving recognition. One such figure was Fray Melquiades de la Encarnación, a Spanish friar and scholar born in 1612 in the town of Baeza. He authored several religious texts and served as a professor at the University of Salamanca.

Another notable bearer of the surname Melquiades was Melquiades Álvarez Giménez, a Spanish politician and lawyer who lived from 1864 to 1936. He played a crucial role in the establishment of the Second Spanish Republic and served as the first Prime Minister of Spain during that period.

In the literary realm, the Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez featured a character named Melquíades in his renowned novel "One Hundred Years of Solitude." This character, though fictional, contributed to the recognition of the name in Latin American literature.

Throughout history, the surname Melquiades has been present in various Spanish-speaking regions, including Mexico, Colombia, and various Central American countries. While not an extremely common name, it has maintained a consistent presence over the centuries, often associated with individuals of notable achievement or historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Melquíades

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

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 Melquíades 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.

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

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

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