Explore the Family Name Menon
The meaning of Menon
Indian (Kerala): Nayar name from Malayalam mēnōn, usually used to mean ‘accountant’, but literally meaning ‘exalted one’ (earlier mēnavan, mēlavan, from mēl ‘high’ + the third person singular masculine pronoun, avan ‘he’). Originally, this was a hereditary title conferred by the rulers of various kingdoms in Kerala. Some characteristic forenames: Indian Anil, Sanjay, Vijay, Anand, Hari, Krishna, Satish, Suresh, Prem, Arvind, Bal, Bhaskar.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Menon in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Menon has significantly increased from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Menon ranked 16,333rd in popularity among surnames in the United States and grew to 10,837th by 2010 – a notable 33.65 percent change. The count of individuals with this surname also saw a noteworthy increase from 1,624 in 2000 to 2,938 in 2010, demonstrating an impressive growth of approximately 80.91 percent. Furthermore, the proportion of Menons per 100,000 people increased from 0.6 to 1.0 during this decade, indicating a rise of around 66.67 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #16,333 | #10,837 | 33.65% |
| Count | 1,624 | 2,938 | 80.91% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.6 | 1 | 66.67% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Menon
When it comes to ethnic identity associated with the surname Menon, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals that the majority identify as Asian/Pacific Islander. From 2000 to 2010, this group increased from 87.62 percent to 91.25 percent, marking a slight growth of 4.14 percent. During the same period, there was a decrease in those who identified with two or more races, dropping from 4.50 percent to 2.38 percent. Similarly, the percentage of individuals identifying as White reduced from 6.59 percent to 5.04 percent. However, those identifying as Hispanic experienced a small increase from 0.62 percent to 0.75 percent. There were no changes reported for those identifying as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 87.62% | 91.25% | 4.14% |
| White | 6.59% | 5.04% | -23.52% |
| Two or More Races | 4.5% | 2.38% | -47.11% |
| Hispanic | 0.62% | 0.75% | 20.97% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Menon 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 Menon is Southern Indian Subgroup, which comprises 55.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Malayali Subgroup (16.9%) and Southern Indian & Sri Lankan (11.7%). Additional ancestries include French & German, Northern Indian & Pakistani, British & Irish, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Italian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Southern Indian Subgroup | 55.3% |
| Malayali Subgroup | 16.9% |
| Southern Indian & Sri Lankan | 11.7% |
| Other | 16.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Menon
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 Menon have recent ancestry locations in India and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Kerala, India | 64.90% |
| Tamil Nadu, India | 64.00% |
| Karnataka, India | 60.40% |
| Andhra Pradesh, India | 51.40% |
| Maharashtra, India | 32.40% |
What Menon 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 Menon is L-M27, which is predominantly found among people with Central & South Asian ancestry. Haplogroup L-M27 is descended from haplogroup L-M20. Other common haplogroups include R-L266 and R-Y7, which are predominantly found among people with Central & South Asian and Central & South Asian ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Nair, Rao, Siddiqui, Iqbal, Hussain, Varghese, Naik, Khan, Sharma, Kumar.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Menon surname are: M, U1a3, R. These most commonly trace back to individuals of Central & South Asian and European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins L-M20
Your paternal lineage may be linked to many Lebanese people
Haplogroup L-M27 is represented in major religious populations within Lebanon, including both Lebanese Maronite and Muslim groups. It has been discovered that Lebanese Maronite populations are genetically distinct from Lebanese Muslim populations. This may mean that Lebanese Muslim groups are descendants of populations from the Arabian Peninsula who were involved in the Islamic expansion in the 7th century CE. On the other hand, Lebanese Maronite groups are likely descendants of western European populations involved in the Crusades during the 11th-13th centuries CE.
Your 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 Menon 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.
"Menon" Surname 37.1%
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.
"Menon" Surname 24.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Menon" Surname 15.2%
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.
"Menon" Surname 7.0%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Menon?
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 Menon are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition