Explore the Family Name Mei
The meaning of Mei
1. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 梅, meaning ‘Chinese plum’: from the placename Huang Mei (黃梅), the name of a fief (located in present-day Hubei Province) which was given to the grandson of Mei Bo (梅伯, Earl of Mei) by King Wu of Zhou (c.1087–1043 BC). When the name of the fiefdom was adopted as a surname, it was shortened to Mei (梅). 2. Dutch: variant of May. 3. Italian: patronymic or plural form of Meo. Some characteristic forenames: Chinese Hui, Jing, Wei, Hong, Feng, Guo Quan, Jianping, Liang, Mei, Qiao, Wen, Xiao, Min, Chang, Cho, Shen.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Mei in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Mei has seen a notable increase in the United States between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Mei was ranked as the 6526th most popular surname, whereas by 2010 it had risen to the 4510th position, indicating an impressive 30.89% change. The count of individuals with the surname Mei also rose significantly from 4794 people in 2000 to 7867 in 2010, marking a growth rate of 64.1%. Accordingly, the proportion of the surname Mei per 100k persons increased by 50%, from 1.78 in 2000 to 2.67 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,526 | #4,510 | 30.89% |
| Count | 4,794 | 7,867 | 64.1% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.78 | 2.67 | 50% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Mei
In terms of ethnicity, based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, there was a slight shift in the ethnic makeup of individuals with the surname Mei between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of Asian/Pacific Islanders with this surname increased from 88.86% in 2000 to 91.72% in 2010, a rise of 3.22%. The proportion of those identifying as White decreased by 27.78%, from 8.82% to 6.37%. Additionally, the percentage of those identifying as two or more races dropped by 47.01%, from 1.17% to 0.62%. Meanwhile, the proportion of Hispanic individuals bearing the surname Mei marginally increased from 0.86% to 0.97%. The percentages for Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native remained constant at 0%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 88.86% | 91.72% | 3.22% |
| White | 8.82% | 6.37% | -27.78% |
| Hispanic | 0.86% | 0.97% | 12.79% |
| Two or More Races | 1.17% | 0.62% | -47.01% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Mei ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Mei is Chinese, which comprises 70.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Italian (7.9%) and Chinese Dai (5.2%). Additional ancestries include British & Irish, French & German, Vietnamese, Spanish & Portuguese, and Korean.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 70.6% |
| Italian | 7.9% |
| Chinese Dai | 5.2% |
| Other | 16.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Mei
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Mei have recent ancestry locations all within China.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Guangdong, China | 52.10% |
| Jiangsu, China | 52.10% |
| Fujian, China | 52.10% |
| Zhejiang, China | 52.10% |
| Shandong, China | 52.10% |
What Mei haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Mei is C-F1699, which is predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Haplogroup C-F1699 is descended from haplogroup C-M217. Other common haplogroups include O-F8 and O-F11, which are predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American and East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Moy, Guan, Tong, Ni, Hong, Hsu, Chao, Ly, Luong, Wu.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Mei surname are: F1a, H, D4. These most commonly trace back to individuals of East Asian & Indigenous American and European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins C-M217
Your paternal lineage may be linked to Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan, the Mongolian conqueror that lived from 1162 to 1227 CE, was likely a member of haplogroup C-M217, and may be responsible for the spread of one of its branches. Half of a percent of all men on Earth, and 8% of men in the region reaching from northeastern China to Uzbekistan, may descend from Genghis Khan. His lineage is most common in Hazara, Mongolian, Uygur, Chinese Kazak, and Inner Mongolian Han populations.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to the Han
Members of haplogroup D are found in both northern and southern Han Chinese populations at low to moderate frequencies. The Han people, who all share the same language and similar cultural practices, are the largest ethnic group in the world, with about 1.2 billion people. Historical evidence shows that Han people are descendants of the ancient Huaxia tribes that come from northern China, and Han language and culture only expanded into southern China in the last 2,000 years. The spread of Han people and culture from northern to southern China was likely driven by warfare and famine in the north.
What do people with the surname Mei have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Mei" Surname 32.3%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Mei" Surname 38.9%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Mei" Surname 10.9%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Mei" Surname 6.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Mei?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Mei are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition