NameCensus.

UK surname

Mejia

A Spanish toponymic surname indicating someone from a place called Mexía, derived from the Basque word "mesia" meaning "temple."

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Islington, Lambeth and Kensington and Chelsea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mejia is 106 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

106

2016, ranked #29,927

Peak year

2016

106 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 106 in 2016, ranked #29,927.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Mejia surname distribution map

The map shows where the Mejia surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Mejia surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mejia over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1901 historical 1 #34,548
1911 historical 2 #34,020
1997 modern 31 #34,582
1998 modern 37 #34,149
1999 modern 32 #34,717
2000 modern 27 #35,188
2001 modern 27 #35,041
2002 modern 36 #34,480
2003 modern 39 #34,296
2004 modern 37 #34,640
2005 modern 43 #34,328
2006 modern 50 #34,077
2007 modern 51 #34,272
2008 modern 65 #33,303
2009 modern 81 #32,172
2010 modern 97 #30,697
2011 modern 83 #32,336
2012 modern 98 #30,612
2013 modern 91 #32,020
2014 modern 88 #32,495
2015 modern 95 #31,749
2016 modern 106 #29,927

Geography

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Where Mejias are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Islington, Lambeth, Kensington and Chelsea and Newham. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Islington 011 Islington
2 Lambeth 031 Lambeth
3 Islington 016 Islington
4 Kensington and Chelsea 018 Kensington and Chelsea
5 Newham 034 Newham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mejia

These lists show first names that appear often with the Mejia surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mejia

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mejia, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Mejia surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Mejia household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Mejia is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mejia is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mejia falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mejia is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Mejia, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mejia

The surname Mejia is of Spanish origin, and it is believed to have originated in the region of Extremadura, Spain, during the Middle Ages. The name is thought to be derived from the Spanish word "mejía," which means "boundary" or "border." This suggests that the name was likely given to someone who lived near a boundary or border area.

In the early 13th century, the name Mejia can be found in various historical records from Extremadura, such as the Tumbo Prieto de la Catedral de Badajoz, a manuscript containing documents related to the Cathedral of Badajoz. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is Juan Mejía, a nobleman who lived in the village of Villanueva de la Serena in the 1240s.

As the name spread throughout Spain, it also found its way to the Spanish colonies in the Americas. One notable early bearer of the name was Hernán Mejía Miraval, a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés in the 16th century.

In the 17th century, the Mejia family had a significant presence in the region of Nueva España (present-day Mexico). Juan Mejía de Sandoval (1595-1668) was a prominent figure in the Catholic Church, serving as Bishop of Chiapas and later as Bishop of Puebla.

Another notable individual with the Mejia surname was José María Mejía (1778-1813), a Mexican military officer who fought against the Spanish during the Mexican War of Independence. He was executed by the Spanish authorities for his role in the rebellion.

In the 19th century, one of the most famous bearers of the Mejia name was Tomás Mejía (1820-1867), a Mexican general who fought in various conflicts, including the Mexican-American War and the Reform War. He was executed by the forces of Emperor Maximilian I after being captured during the Battle of El Cubilete.

The surname Mejia has also been associated with various place names in Spain and Latin America. For example, there is a town called Mejías in the Spanish province of Badajoz, and a municipality called Mejía in the Colombian department of Antioquia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Mejia surname: questions and answers

How common is the Mejia surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 106 in 2016. That gives Mejia a modern rank of #29,927.

What does the Mejia surname mean?

A Spanish toponymic surname indicating someone from a place called Mexía, derived from the Basque word "mesia" meaning "temple."

What does the Mejia map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Mejia bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.