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

Mepham, 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 Mepham surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mepham in America

Mepham is the 73666th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mepham surname appeared 263 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 Mepham.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mepham 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 Mepham

The surname Mepham is of English origin, deriving from the Old English personal name 'Mappa' combined with the Old English word 'ham' meaning homestead or village. It is believed to have originated in the medieval period, around the 11th or 12th century.

Mepham is thought to have its roots in the county of Kent, where several villages and hamlets bear names derived from similar Old English words, such as Mepham and Meopham. These place names likely refer to the homesteads or settlements of individuals named Mappa.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Mepham can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Kent from the year 1199, where a certain William de Mepham is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already well-established in Kent by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named Simon de Mepham (c.1235-1333) held the position of Archbishop of Canterbury from 1328 until his death. He was a significant figure in the English Church during a turbulent period of conflict between the monarchy and the clergy.

Another historical figure with the surname Mepham was Thomas Mepham (c.1410-1481), a 15th-century English priest and theologian who served as the Chancellor of Oxford University from 1460 to 1461.

During the 16th century, the surname Mepham appears in records from the county of Sussex, where a family of that name held lands and properties. One notable member was John Mepham (c.1520-1585), a wealthy landowner and member of the gentry.

In the 17th century, a prominent figure named William Mepham (1612-1688) was a successful merchant and alderman in the city of London, serving as the Sheriff of London in 1667.

Another historical figure with the Mepham surname was Richard Mepham (1737-1821), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars, rising to the rank of Admiral.

While the surname Mepham is not among the most common in England, it has a rich historical lineage dating back to the medieval period and has been borne by notable individuals throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mepham

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

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

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

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