Explore the Family Name Mellish
The meaning of Mellish
1. English: habitational name from Mellersh Farm in Compton (Surrey). The placename probably derives from Old English mǣle ‘dyed, multi-colored, variegated’ + ersc ‘plowed field, stubble field’. 2. English: variant of Melhuish. 3. Americanized form of Czech and Slovak Meliš (see Melis 4).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Mellish in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Mellish has experienced a slight decline from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Mellish was ranked as the 40,203rd most popular surname in the U.S., with 513 individuals carrying this last name. By 2010, it had slipped to the 42,858th spot, representing a decrease of 6.6% in ranking. During this same period, the count of individuals with the Mellish surname decreased by 1.56%, and its proportion per 100,000 people dipped by 10.53%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #40,203 | #42,858 | -6.6% |
| Count | 513 | 505 | -1.56% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.19 | 0.17 | -10.53% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Mellish
The Decennial U.S. Census data also provides insights into the ethnic identity of those named Mellish. The 2000 Census indicated that the majority (91.03%) identified as White, followed by Black at 5.65%, Hispanic at 1.95%, and a small percentage (1.17%) identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander. By 2010, there was a noticeable shift in these percentages. While still predominantly White (85.15%), the percentage of those identifying as Black rose significantly to 9.90%, representing a 75.22% increase. Similarly, the percentage identifying as Hispanic increased to 2.57%. Interestingly, the 2010 data also showed that some Mellishes identified with two or more races, while the percentage of Asian/Pacific Islanders dropped to zero.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 91.03% | 85.15% | -6.46% |
| Black | 5.65% | 9.9% | 75.22% |
| Hispanic | 1.95% | 2.57% | 31.79% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 1.39% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.17% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |