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

Mendaros, 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 Mendaros surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mendaros in America

Mendaros is the 144141st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mendaros surname appeared 115 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 Mendaros.

The history of the last name Mendaros

The surname Mendaros is believed to have originated in the Basque region of northern Spain and southwestern France during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Basque words "mendi," meaning mountain, and "aros," meaning pasture or grazing land.

Mendaros was likely an occupational surname initially given to those who worked as shepherds or graziers in the mountainous regions of the Basque Country. The earliest known record of the name dates back to the 13th century, where it appears in a document from the village of Sare in the Pyrenees.

In the 14th century, the name Mendaros was found in various records from the Kingdom of Navarre, which encompassed parts of modern-day Spain and France. One notable individual from this time was Juan de Mendaros, a merchant who traded goods between the Basque ports and other parts of Europe.

During the 15th century, the Mendaros family expanded their influence, and some members became landowners and officials in the local government. One such figure was Pedro Mendaros, who served as the mayor of the town of Lesaka in the late 1400s.

As the Basque people migrated to other regions, the surname Mendaros spread across Europe and beyond. In the 16th century, a branch of the family settled in the Spanish colonies of the Americas, and there are records of a Catalina Mendaros who was one of the earliest Spanish settlers in what is now Mexico City.

Another notable figure was Miguel Mendaros, a Basque soldier who fought in the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire in the 1530s. He was one of the few survivors of the Battle of Cajamarca, where the Spanish forces defeated the Inca ruler Atahualpa.

As the centuries passed, the Mendaros surname continued to be found in various parts of the world, reflecting the migrations and diaspora of the Basque people. While not a common surname, it has persisted as a link to the rich cultural heritage and history of the Basque region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mendaros

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

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

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

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