2010
#141,140
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Memis
An anglicized version of the Turkish surname Memiş, meaning "son of Memi" or "son of Muhammad."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Memis. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Memis surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Memis in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Memis, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Memis
The surname "MEMIS" is of Turkish origin, with its roots dating back to the Ottoman Empire period in the late 13th to early 14th centuries. It is believed to have originated from the Anatolian region of modern-day Turkey, where the name was commonly found among the Turkish population.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "MEMIS" can be traced back to the 16th century, when it appeared in Ottoman tax records and census documents. The name was particularly prevalent in the regions of Anatolia and the Balkans, where the Ottoman Empire held significant influence.
The etymology of "MEMIS" is thought to be derived from the Turkish word "memi," which means "breast" or "nipple." It is possible that the name was initially a descriptive surname, referring to a physical characteristic or a profession related to nursing or midwifery.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname "MEMIS." One such figure was Memis Ahmet Pasha, a prominent Ottoman statesman and grand vizier who lived in the late 16th century. Another prominent bearer of the name was Memis Efendi, a renowned Ottoman calligrapher and poet who lived during the 17th century.
In the 19th century, the surname "MEMIS" was also found in various regions of the Balkans, particularly in areas that were part of the Ottoman Empire. For instance, there are records of individuals with the surname "MEMIS" hailing from present-day Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and Albania.
Another notable individual was Memis Mustafa, an Ottoman military commander and governor who played a significant role in the Ottoman-Persian Wars during the early 18th century. His leadership and strategic expertise were highly regarded by his contemporaries.
It is worth noting that variations in spelling and pronunciation of the surname "MEMIS" may have occurred over time and across different regions. Some alternative spellings include "Memish," "Memisoglu," or "Memiş," reflecting regional dialects and linguistic influences.
While the surname "MEMIS" has its roots in the Ottoman Empire and the Anatolian region, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, its origins and historical significance remain firmly rooted in the rich cultural heritage of Turkey and the Balkans.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Memis
Among Census respondents with the surname Memis, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
The bar chart below shows how Memis bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Memis surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White100.0% · 116
Timeline
Historical Census data for Memis
Memis appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
-2 bearers (-1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,888 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #141,140 | 118 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.7%) | Down 3,888 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Memis surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #141,140 | #145,028 | -2.8% |
| Count | 118 | 116 | -1.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Memis bearers went from 118 to 116 (-1.7% change). The surname moved down 3,888 positions in the national ranking, going from #141,140 to #145,028.
FAQ
Memis surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Memis?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Memis. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Memis?
Memis ranks #145,028 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 116 people with the surname Memis. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Memis.
Has Memis become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Memis went from 118 recorded bearers to 116. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #141,140 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Memis?
Among Census respondents with the surname Memis, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%. These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Memis in the 2020 Census, accounting for 100.0% (116 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Memis appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (100.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Memis (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Memis mean?
An anglicized version of the Turkish surname Memiş, meaning "son of Memi" or "son of Muhammad." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Memis (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Memis?
Want to know how many people have the last name Memis? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.