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

Melson, 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 Melson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Melson in America

Melson is the 6681st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Melson surname appeared 5,054 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Melson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Melson 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 Melson

The surname Melson has its origins in England, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be a variant of the name Mellows or Mellers, which were derived from the Old English word "melu," meaning "meal" or "flour." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a miller or someone involved in the flour trade.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Melson can be found in the parish records of Northamptonshire, where a Thomas Melson was mentioned in 1597. Further instances of the name appear in various records throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, with spellings such as Melson, Mellson, and Melston.

The name Melson is also closely associated with the village of Melsonby in North Yorkshire, which was originally recorded as "Melesburne" in the Domesday Book of 1086. It is possible that some individuals with the surname Melson may have derived their name from this location.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Melson throughout history include:

1. Sir John Melson (1601-1673), an English lawyer and judge who served as Chief Justice of the King's Bench during the reign of Charles II.
2. Thomas Melson (1762-1832), a British naval officer who participated in the Battle of Trafalgar and later served as Governor of the Bahamas.
3. Elizabeth Melson (1811-1892), an American philanthropist and abolitionist who worked alongside Frederick Douglass in the anti-slavery movement.
4. James Melson (1846-1914), a Scottish architect known for designing several prominent buildings in Glasgow, including the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.
5. William Melson (1870-1943), an American geologist and volcanologist who made significant contributions to the study of volcanic rocks and their formation.

The surname Melson has a rich history spanning several centuries and can be traced back to various regions of England, with possible connections to place names and occupational origins. While its prevalence may have fluctuated over time, the name has been carried by individuals who have made their mark in various fields, from law and military service to philanthropy and science.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Melson

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

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

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

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