Explore the Family Name Melbourne
The meaning of Melbourne
English (mainly East Midlands): habitational name from Melbourne (Derbyshire), Melbourn (Cambridgeshire), or Melbourne in Thornton (East Yorkshire). The Derbyshire placename derives from Old English myln ‘mill’ + burna ‘spring, stream’. The Cambridgeshire placename may derive from an Old English personal name Melda + Old English burna. The Yorkshire placename derives from Old English middel ‘middle’ + burna. There has been some confusion with Milburn and Malbon.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Melbourne in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Melbourne has seen a slight decline from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, the surname was ranked 31,085th in terms of popularity and had a ratio of 0.26 per 100,000 people. By 2010, Melbourne slipped down to 33,164th place with a proportion of 0.23 per 100,000 people. This represents a change of -6.69% in its ranking and an -11.54% change in its proportion.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #31,085 | #33,164 | -6.69% |
| Count | 706 | 690 | -2.27% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.26 | 0.23 | -11.54% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Melbourne
On the matter of ethnicity, the same decennial census data shows shifts in the ethnic identity associated with the Melbourne surname. The largest ethnic group identifying with this surname is White, which decreased slightly from 54.11% in 2000 to 50.43% in 2010. The Black ethnic group experienced the most significant growth within this period, increasing from 28.47% to 37.97%. On the other hand, those identifying as Two or more races and American Indian and Alaskan Native saw substantial decreases, dropping by about 48.88% and 45.32% respectively. The Hispanic group remained relatively stable, while the Asian/Pacific Islander group saw a modest decrease.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 54.11% | 50.43% | -6.8% |
| Black | 28.47% | 37.97% | 33.37% |
| Hispanic | 4.96% | 4.64% | -6.45% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 6.09% | 3.33% | -45.32% |
| Two or More Races | 5.38% | 2.75% | -48.88% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.99% | 0.87% | -12.12% |