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

Menez, 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 Menez surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Menez in America

Menez is the 40554th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Menez surname appeared 539 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 Menez.

We can also compare 2010 data for Menez 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 Menez

The surname "MENEZ" is of Breton origin and dates back to the early medieval period in the region of Brittany, located in the northwest of modern-day France. It is derived from the Breton word "menez," which means "mountain" or "hill," suggesting that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near or on a prominent elevation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in a document from the 11th century, where it is spelled "Menees." This variation likely reflects the local dialect and pronunciation of the time. In the 12th century, the name is found in the form "Menez" in a cartulary from the Abbey of Landevennec, a Benedictine monastery in Brittany.

During the 13th century, the name Menez appears in several charters and land records from the Duchy of Brittany. One notable example is the mention of a "Guiomarus Menez" in a document from 1246, relating to a property transaction in the region of Cornouaille.

In the 14th century, the name Menez is associated with several prominent individuals in Brittany. One such person was Jehan Menez, a merchant and alderman in the city of Nantes, who lived from around 1320 to 1385. Another was Alain Menez, a knight and landowner from the region of Léon, who was born around 1375 and fought in the Hundred Years' War.

The 15th century saw the name Menez gain wider recognition, with several notable figures bearing the surname. One of the most prominent was Guillaume Menez, a cleric and scholar who served as the Bishop of Tréguier from 1442 to 1460. Another was Yvon Menez, a celebrated architect and stonemason who was responsible for the construction of several churches and castles in Brittany during the late 15th century.

In the 16th century, the name Menez continued to appear in various records and documents from the region. One notable example is Marguerite Menez, a noblewoman and landowner from the region of Cornouaille, who was born around 1520 and played a significant role in local politics and affairs.

Throughout history, the surname Menez has also been associated with various place names and geographical features in Brittany, such as the Monts d'Arrée (Menez mountain range) and the Menez-Hom (a prominent hill near Plomodiern). These connections further reinforce the name's origins and its link to the region's topography.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Menez

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

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

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

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