Explore the Family Name Mendes
The meaning of Mendes
1. Portuguese and Galician: patronymic from the personal name Mendo, a shortened form of Menendo (see Menendez). 2. Jewish (Sephardic): adoption of the Iberian surname (see 1 above) at the moment of conversion to Roman Catholicism. After the return to Judaism (generations later), some descendants retained the name their families used as Catholics. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Manuel, Jose, Carlos, Mario, Pedro, Alberto, Sergio, Armando, Cesar, Domingos, Francisco, Luis. Portuguese Joao, Joaquim, Paulo, Agostinho, Amadeu, Armanda, Guilherme, Henrique, Sebastiao, Valentim.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Mendes in the United States?
According to data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Mendes" has significantly increased between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Mendes ranked 4077 in popularity among all surnames, but by 2010 it had risen to rank 3514, marking a notable increase of 13.81%. The count of individuals with the Mendes surname also grew during this period, from 8034 in 2000 to 10162 in 2010, reflecting a rise of 26.49%. Consequently, the proportion of Mendes per 100k people in the population rose by 15.44%, from 2.98 in 2000 to 3.44 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,077 | #3,514 | 13.81% |
| Count | 8,034 | 10,162 | 26.49% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.98 | 3.44 | 15.44% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Mendes
As for the ethnicity associated with the Mendes surname, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows some interesting trends between 2000 and 2010. While there was a significant increase in the percentage of Mendes who identify as Asian/Pacific Islander (from 1.78% to 3.14%), Black (from 7.13% to 13.12%), and Hispanic (from 22.28% to 23.86%), there was a notable decrease in those identifying as two or more races (from 12.63% to 2.86%). The percentage of Mendes identifying as White slightly increased (from 55.78% to 56.39%) while the percentage of American Indian and Alaskan Native also saw growth, albeit minimal, from 0.40% to 0.63%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 55.78% | 56.39% | 1.09% |
| Hispanic | 22.28% | 23.86% | 7.09% |
| Black | 7.13% | 13.12% | 84.01% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.78% | 3.14% | 76.4% |
| Two or More Races | 12.63% | 2.86% | -77.36% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.4% | 0.63% | 57.5% |
Mendes 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 Mendes is Spanish & Portuguese, which comprises 50.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (15.4%) and French & German (7.0%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Indigenous American, Senegambian & Guinean, Nigerian, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe
| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Spanish & Portuguese | 50.5% |
| British & Irish | 15.4% |
| French & German | 7.0% |
| Other | 27.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Mendes
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 Mendes have recent ancestry locations spanning a few countries, mostly in Portugal, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Azores, Portugal | 64.60% |
| Madeira, Portugal | 64.30% |
| Lisbon, Portugal | 62.00% |
| Aveiro District, Portugal | 61.60% |
| Porto District, Portugal | 59.70% |
What Mendes 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 Mendes is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-Z58 and R-Z209, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Almeida, Alves, Correia, Ribeiro, Ferreira, Pereira, Costa, Dias, Fernandez, Borges.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Mendes surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your 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 Mendes 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.
"Mendes" Surname 44.3%
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.
"Mendes" Surname 24.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Mendes" Surname 16.5%
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.
"Mendes" Surname 17.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Mendes?
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 Mendes are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition