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

Mendieta, 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 Mendieta surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mendieta in America

Mendieta is the 7209th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mendieta surname appeared 4,630 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 Mendieta.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mendieta 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 Mendieta

The surname Mendieta originates from the Basque region of northern Spain and southwestern France, dating back to the early Middle Ages. It is derived from the Basque words "mendi" meaning mountain and "eta" meaning place, essentially translating to "place of the mountain."

The Basque Country, where the name first emerged, is known for its rugged mountain terrain, and it is likely that the name initially referred to individuals or families residing in mountainous areas or villages. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in medieval Basque documents and records from the 11th and 12th centuries.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Mendieta surname was Lope de Mendieta, a Basque nobleman and military commander who fought in the Reconquista campaigns against the Moors in the 13th century. His name appears in several chronicles and historical accounts from that period.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Mendieta name gained prominence in various parts of Spain, particularly in regions with strong Basque cultural influences. Notable individuals include Jerónimo de Mendieta, a Franciscan friar and historian born in 1525, who authored one of the earliest comprehensive accounts of the conquest of Mexico.

Another prominent figure was Juan de Mendieta y Raya, a Spanish philosopher and theologian born in 1571, who made significant contributions to the development of Thomistic thought and served as a professor at the University of Salamanca.

In the 18th century, José de Mendieta y Montes de Oca, born in 1706, was a prominent Spanish military officer and colonial administrator who served as the governor of several regions in New Spain (present-day Mexico) and Puerto Rico.

As the Mendieta name spread across Spain and its colonies, variations in spelling emerged, such as Mendietta, Mendiola, and Mendietaren. These variations often reflected regional dialects or linguistic adaptations.

Throughout history, the Mendieta surname has been associated with various professions and fields, including military service, religious orders, academia, and colonial administration, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bore this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mendieta

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

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

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

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