Explore the Family Name Mengesha
The meaning of Mengesha
Ethiopian: from the personal name Mengesha, which is interpreted as e.g. ‘kingdom’ in the Amharic language. — Note: Since Ethiopians do not have hereditary surnames, this name was registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Mengesha in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Mengesha has seen a significant rise in popularity between 2000 and 2010. The rank of this surname jumped from 67,936 in 2000 to 34,574 in 2010, signifying an increase of 49.11%. Furthermore, the count of individuals with this surname grew by an impressive 141.33%, from 271 in 2000 to 654 in 2010. The proportion of people bearing the Mengesha surname per 100k also saw a substantial rise of 120.0% over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #67,936 | #34,574 | 49.11% |
| Count | 271 | 654 | 141.33% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.1 | 0.22 | 120% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Mengesha
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Mengesha also shows some notable changes according to the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, 82.29% of individuals with this surname identified as Black, and this percentage increased to 95.26% in 2010. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander dropped significantly from 1.85% to 0.92%, as did those who identified with two or more races, plummeting from 12.92% to just 1.53%. The percentage of those identifying as Hispanic also decreased from 1.85% to 0.76%. Interestingly, there was a new appearance of individuals identifying as White, which was 0% in 2000 and rose to 1.53% in 2010. There were no recorded instances of individuals identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 82.29% | 95.26% | 15.76% |
| Two or More Races | 12.92% | 1.53% | -88.16% |
| White | 0% | 1.53% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.85% | 0.92% | -50.27% |
| Hispanic | 1.85% | 0.76% | -58.92% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |