Explore the Family Name Menezes
The meaning of Menezes
Portuguese and Spanish: variant of Meneses. This surname is also found in western India and in East Timor, to which it was brought by Portuguese colonists in the 17th century. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Jose, Manuel, Luiz, Marcos, Sergio, Alberto, Antero, Eduardo, Adelino, Alda, Ana, Ana Maria. Portuguese Ademir, Almir, Guilherme, Marcio, Paulo. Indian Geetha, Jeevan, Naresh, Rahul, Rohit, Shalini, Vinod, Vivek.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Menezes in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Menezes saw a slight dip in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 19,018 among all surnames, but by 2010, it had fallen to 21,157—an 11.25% drop. The count of individuals with this surname also decreased from 1,325 in 2000 to 1,241 in 2010, marking a 6.34% decrease. The proportion of people named Menezes per 100,000 residents declined from 0.49 to 0.42 during the same period, signifying a reduction of 14.29%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #19,018 | #21,157 | -11.25% |
| Count | 1,325 | 1,241 | -6.34% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.49 | 0.42 | -14.29% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Menezes
Regarding ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some shifts in the ethnic identity associated with the Menezes surname. Between 2000 and 2010, there was a rise in the percentage of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, from 22.42% to 25.62%, an increase of 14.27%. However, those identifying as two or more races saw a sharp decline from 9.06% to 3.63%. The percentage of individuals identifying as White increased slightly from 58.19% to 60.60%, a growth of 4.14%. There was a notable decrease in those identifying as Hispanic, from 9.13% in 2000 to 6.12% in 2010. Interestingly, no persons identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in 2000, but by 2010, these groups accounted for 3.55% and 0.48% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 58.19% | 60.6% | 4.14% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 22.42% | 25.62% | 14.27% |
| Hispanic | 9.13% | 6.12% | -32.97% |
| Two or More Races | 9.06% | 3.63% | -59.93% |
| Black | 0% | 3.55% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.48% | 0% |
Menezes 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 Menezes is Spanish & Portuguese, which comprises 45.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Southern Indian Subgroup (15.1%) and British & Irish (8.2%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Southern Indian & Sri Lankan, French & German, Indigenous American, and Angolan & Congolese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Spanish & Portuguese | 45.6% |
| Southern Indian Subgroup | 15.1% |
| British & Irish | 8.2% |
| Other | 31.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Menezes
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 Menezes have recent ancestry locations in Portugal and Brazil.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Madeira, Portugal | 56.30% |
| Azores, Portugal | 56.30% |
| Aveiro District, Portugal | 55.20% |
| Porto District, Portugal | 52.90% |
| Lisbon, Portugal | 51.70% |
What Menezes 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 Menezes 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 R-P312 and IJ-M429, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Camara, Lesser, Talavera, De La Rosa, Mateo, Sarmiento, De Souza, Lupo, Casanova, Lepore.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Menezes surname are: M, H1, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to the ancient people of the Indian subcontinent
While Haplogroup M is widespread throughout South and East Asia, it is more diverse on the Indian sub-continent than anywhere else in the world. The high degree of diversity of M in India is likely tied to its ancient arrival here nearly 50,000 years ago. In addition to M2, which is found throughout the subcontinent, there are dozens of haplogroups branching off of M that exist in India. These branches are often connected to specific regions, tribes, or ethnic groups. For example, haplogroup M18 is found among the Oraon peoples of eastern India and Bangladesh, while haplogroup M41 is common among the Pardhan speakers of eastern India, and haplogroup M31a can be found on the Andaman Islands, just off the southeast coast of India.
What do people with the surname Menezes 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.
"Menezes" Surname 52.4%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Habits
Vitamin Use
Takes vitamins on a regular basis.
"Menezes" Surname 58.3%
23andMe Users 45.5%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Menezes" Surname 15.9%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Menezes?
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 Menezes are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition