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

Mewes, 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 Mewes surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mewes in America

Mewes is the 43732nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mewes surname appeared 493 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 Mewes.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mewes 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 Mewes

The surname Mewes has its origins in Germany and is believed to have derived from the old German word "müde," which means "tired" or "weary." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a nickname or descriptive term for someone who appeared exhausted or fatigued.

In the early medieval period, the use of surnames was not common, and people were typically identified by their given names or by descriptive nicknames. As the population grew and the need for more specific identification arose, these nicknames often became hereditary surnames passed down through families.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Mewes can be found in the historical records of the city of Nuremberg, Germany, dating back to the 14th century. It is mentioned in a document from 1397, which references a certain "Hans Mewes" residing in the city.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the surname appears to have spread to other regions of Germany, as well as neighboring areas such as Austria and Switzerland. Variations in spelling, including Mewes, Mewis, and Meuwes, were common due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions at the time.

Notable individuals who bore the surname Mewes include Johann Mewes (1615-1680), a German composer and organist who served at the court of the Elector of Brandenburg. Another notable figure was Karl Mewes (1876-1958), a German architect who designed several prominent buildings in Berlin during the early 20th century.

In the Netherlands, the name Mewes is also found, possibly as a result of migration from Germany. One example is the Dutch painter Marten Mewes (1603-1662), who was active in the city of Haarlem during the Dutch Golden Age of painting.

The surname Mewes also made its way to other parts of Europe, including England and France, where it may have been anglicized or adapted to local spelling conventions. In France, for instance, the name appears as Meuwis or Meuwisse.

While the surname Mewes is not among the most common surnames globally, it has a rich history rooted in medieval Germany and has been borne by notable figures across various fields, from music and architecture to art.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mewes

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

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

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

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