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

Metellus, 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 Metellus surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Metellus in America

Metellus is the 21868th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Metellus surname appeared 1,188 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 Metellus.

We can also compare 2010 data for Metellus 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 Metellus

The surname Metellus is of ancient Roman origin, tracing its roots back to the 2nd century BC. It is derived from the Latin word "metellus," which means "mercenary" or "hired soldier." The name is believed to have originated in the region around Rome, where it was first recorded.

One of the earliest and most notable mentions of the name Metellus can be found in the writings of the Roman historian Livy, who documented the exploits of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus (c. 210-115 BC), a Roman consul and military commander. Metellus Macedonicus earned his agnomen (nickname) for his victories over the Macedonians in the Third Macedonian War.

Another prominent figure bearing the Metellus name was Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus (c. 160-91 BC), a Roman statesman and general who played a crucial role in the Jugurthine War against the Numidian king Jugurtha. His military success in North Africa earned him the agnomen "Numidicus."

In the 1st century BC, the name Metellus gained further prominence with Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius (c. 134-63 BC), a Roman politician and military leader who was instrumental in restoring the power of the Senate during the Roman Republic. He was known for his unwavering loyalty to his exiled father, earning him the agnomen "Pius" (dutiful).

The Metellus family continued to be influential in Roman politics and society, with members like Quintus Caecilius Metellus Nepos (c. 100-55 BC), a Roman consul and supporter of Pompey the Great, and Quintus Caecilius Metellus Creticus (c. 115-59 BC), who earned his agnomen for his conquest of Crete in 67 BC.

While the name Metellus was primarily associated with the noble Roman family of the Caecilii Metelli, it was also adopted by other Roman families and individuals over time. For instance, the Roman poet Ovid (43 BC-17 AD) mentions a certain Metellus in his works, though little is known about this individual's background.

The surname Metellus has endured through the centuries, with various spellings and variations appearing in different regions and languages. However, its origins can be traced back to the influential Metelli family of ancient Rome, whose members played significant roles in shaping the history of the Roman Republic and Empire.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Metellus

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

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

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

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