Explore the Family Name Mele
The meaning of Mele
1. Italian (southern): affectionate nickname from mele ‘honey’, a dialect form of miele. 2. Italian: possibly a habitational name from Mele in Genoa province. 3. Americanized form of Norwegian Mæle or of its variant Mæhle (see Mahle). Compare Male 9. 4. French: topographic name for someone who lived by a medlar, Old French mesle. 5. Slovenian: possibly a nickname from a derivative of mleti ‘to mill’, or a topographic name derived from mel ‘fine sand’. Some characteristic forenames: Italian Angelo, Rocco, Salvatore, Dante, Sal, Carmine, Nicola, Vito, Antonio, Carmela, Domenic, Mauro.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Mele in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "Mele" has seen a slight dip between 2000 and 2010. In terms of ranking, it moved from 7613 in 2000 to 7944 in 2010, representing a decrease of 4.35%. However, the overall count of people with the surname increased by 3.45%, reaching 4165 in 2010 up from 4026 in 2000. The proportion per 100k also saw a decrease of 5.37%, dropping from 1.49 in 2000 to 1.41 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,613 | #7,944 | -4.35% |
| Count | 4,026 | 4,165 | 3.45% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.49 | 1.41 | -5.37% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Mele
The ethnic identity associated with the surname "Mele" has also shown interesting shifts in the same period according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. The percentage of Mele's identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, Hispanic, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native all increased. The largest increase was seen among those identifying as Black, which rose by 183.64%, followed by Hispanics at 61.75%. Interestingly, the number of Mele's identifying as White decreased by 3.39% despite still being the predominant ethnicity at 91.98% in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.21% | 91.98% | -3.39% |
| Hispanic | 2.51% | 4.06% | 61.75% |
| Black | 0.55% | 1.56% | 183.64% |
| Two or More Races | 0.92% | 1.27% | 38.04% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.6% | 0.82% | 36.67% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.22% | 0.31% | 40.91% |
Mele 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 Mele is Italian, which comprises 36.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (24.8%) and French & German (13.1%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Greek & Balkan, Scandinavian, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Italian | 36.1% |
| British & Irish | 24.8% |
| French & German | 13.1% |
| Other | 26.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Mele
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 Mele have recent ancestry locations spanning a few countries, mostly in Italy, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Sicily, Italy | 62.20% |
| Campania, Italy | 61.50% |
| Calabria, Italy | 60.00% |
| Apulia, Italy | 58.50% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 57.80% |
What Mele 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 Mele is E-V13, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup E-V13 is descended from haplogroup E-M96. Other common haplogroups include J-CTS5368 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Amato, Rinaldi, Milano, Lorenzo, Orlando, Pellegrino, Barone, Deutsch, Pagano, Desantis.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Mele surname are: H1, H, H5. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins E-M96
Your paternal lineage may be linked to early Balkan migrants
Haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a migrated in large numbers from the Balkans into Europe about 4,500 years ago, triggered by the beginning of the Balkan Bronze Age. During this migration, members of haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a mainly followed rivers connecting the southern Balkans to northern-central Europe. Technological leaps often cause lineages to grow dramatically in numbers and in geographic range. The development of Bronze technology may have given men in haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a a competitive advantage over other men, causing haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a to proliferate and become widespread.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Mele 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.
"Mele" Surname 44.4%
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.
"Mele" Surname 36.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Mele" Surname 22.9%
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.
"Mele" Surname 13.1%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Mele?
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 Mele are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition