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

Menashe, 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 Menashe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Menashe in America

Menashe is the 69579th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Menashe surname appeared 282 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 Menashe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Menashe 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 Menashe

The surname MENASHE has its origins in the ancient Hebrew language and culture. It is believed to have originated in the region of ancient Israel and the Middle East during the biblical era, making it one of the oldest surviving surnames in the world.

MENASHE is derived from the Hebrew name "Menashe," which itself comes from the biblical figure Manasseh, who was the elder son of Joseph and the founder of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. The name is thought to mean "causing to forget" or "he who causes to forget" in Hebrew.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname MENASHE can be traced back to the medieval period, when it was used by Jewish communities across Europe and the Middle East. It appears in various historical documents and records from this time, including tax rolls, census records, and property deeds.

One notable early reference to the surname MENASHE can be found in the Geniza records, a collection of medieval manuscripts discovered in the Ben Ezra Synagogue in Cairo, Egypt. These records contain mentions of individuals bearing the surname MENASHE, providing insight into the lives and activities of Jewish communities in the Middle Ages.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname MENASHE. One of the earliest recorded figures was Rabbi Menashe ben Israel (1604-1657), a Dutch-Portuguese Jewish scholar and writer who played a significant role in advocating for the readmission of Jews to England after their expulsion in 1290.

Another prominent figure was Raphael Menashe (1670-1743), an Italian rabbi and author who wrote extensively on Jewish law and philosophy. His works, such as "Shaar ha-Shamayim" and "Mikveh Yisrael," were widely studied and influential in their time.

In more recent history, Joseph Menashe (1918-2008) was a renowned Iraqi-Israeli businessman and philanthropist who played a crucial role in the economic development of Israel in the post-independence era. He founded several successful companies and was recognized for his contributions to the country's growth.

The surname MENASHE has also been associated with other notable figures, such as the American mathematician and computer scientist Michael Menashe (1950-2021), known for his contributions to the field of computational geometry, and the British actor and writer David Menashe (1942-2021), best known for his roles in films like "The Long Good Friday" and "The Krays."

While the surname MENASHE has its roots in ancient Hebrew culture, it has since spread to various parts of the world, carried by Jewish communities and individuals throughout history. Today, it remains a prominent surname, particularly among Jewish populations, serving as a testament to its rich linguistic and cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Menashe

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

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

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

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