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

Mengesha, 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 Mengesha surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mengesha in America

Mengesha is the 34574th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mengesha surname appeared 654 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 Mengesha.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mengesha 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 Mengesha

The surname Mengesha has its origins in Ethiopia, tracing back to the 15th century. It is derived from the Amharic language, which is one of the main languages spoken in Ethiopia. The name is believed to have evolved from the word "mengesh," which means "governor" or "ruler." This suggests that the name may have initially been given to individuals who held positions of authority or leadership within their communities.

One of the earliest known references to the name Mengesha can be found in the chronicles of the Solomonic dynasty, which ruled Ethiopia from the 13th to the 20th century. These chronicles mention several individuals with the name Mengesha who held important roles within the imperial court or served as regional governors.

In the 16th century, a prominent figure named Mengesha Seyoum is recorded as having served as a governor in the province of Gojjam. He played a significant role in the expansion of the Solomonic dynasty's influence in that region. Another notable individual was Mengesha Yohannes, who lived in the late 18th century and was a renowned military leader during the era of the Zemene Mesafint, a period of decentralized rule in Ethiopia.

In the 19th century, a place name closely associated with the surname Mengesha emerged – Mengesha Amba. This was a fortified settlement located in the region of Tigray, which served as a stronghold for local rulers and their armies. The name Mengesha Amba likely derived from a ruler or governor who resided there.

One of the most famous individuals to bear the surname Mengesha was Mengesha Yohannes (1844-1906), a member of the Tigrayan nobility who played a crucial role in the reunification of Ethiopia under Emperor Menelik II. He served as a military commander and later as the governor of Tigray.

Other notable figures with the surname Mengesha include Mengesha Seyoum (1855-1920), a prominent educator and writer who contributed to the development of the Amharic language and literature, and Mengesha Awlachew (1868-1945), a respected religious leader and scholar who served as the Abuna (Archbishop) of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mengesha

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

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

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

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