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

Menis, 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 Menis surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Menis in America

Menis is the 99845th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Menis surname appeared 181 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 Menis.

We can also compare 2010 data for Menis 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 Menis

The surname MENIS has its origins traced back to the Greek island of Rhodes in the 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Greek word "menos," which means strength or vigor. The name is thought to have been initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone who possessed exceptional physical prowess or resilience.

During the Byzantine period, the MENIS name appeared in several historical records and manuscripts from the region, including tax records and land registries. One of the earliest documented instances of the name was found in a Byzantine chronicle from the year 1387, which mentioned a soldier named Ioannis MENIS who fought in the battles against the Ottoman Turks.

As the centuries passed, the MENIS name spread across the Mediterranean region, particularly to Italy and Spain, where it underwent slight variations in spelling and pronunciation. In Italy, the name was sometimes rendered as "MENISE" or "MENISI," while in Spain, it took the form of "MENIS" or "MENIZ."

Notable individuals bearing the MENIS surname throughout history include Georgios MENIS (1550-1623), a renowned Greek scholar and philosopher who taught at the University of Padua in Italy. Another prominent figure was Juan MENIS (1624-1689), a Spanish military commander who played a vital role in the Reconquista, the Christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors.

In the 18th century, the MENIS name gained further recognition with the birth of Antonio MENIS (1718-1784), an Italian architect and engineer who designed several important buildings in his native Venice. His most famous work is the Church of San Stae, renowned for its beautiful Baroque architecture.

Moving into the 19th century, one cannot overlook the contributions of Alexandros MENIS (1822-1897), a Greek politician and statesman who served as the Prime Minister of Greece from 1892 to 1895. He was instrumental in modernizing the country's infrastructure and strengthening its ties with other European nations.

Another notable bearer of the MENIS name was Maria MENIS (1876-1944), a Spanish artist and painter whose works captured the vibrant culture and landscapes of her native Andalusia region. Her paintings are celebrated for their vivid colors and depictions of everyday life in southern Spain.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Menis

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

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

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

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