NameCensus.

UK surname

Mendez

A Spanish patronymic surname derived from the given name Menendo or Mendo, meaning "strong and brave."

In the 1881 census there were 17 people recorded with the Mendez surname, ranking it #31,170 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 717, ranked #7,575, up from #31,170 in 1881.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mendez is 717 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 4117.6%.

1881 census count

17

Ranked #31,170

Modern count

717

2016, ranked #7,575

Peak year

2016

717 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mendez had 17 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,170 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 717 in 2016, ranked #7,575.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 53 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Mendez surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mendez surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mendez 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
1851 historical 14 #30,790
1861 historical 3 #33,861
1881 historical 17 #31,170
1891 historical 20 #32,579
1901 historical 47 #28,929
1911 historical 53 #27,508
1997 modern 374 #11,574
1998 modern 417 #11,026
1999 modern 427 #10,919
2000 modern 439 #10,650
2001 modern 432 #10,584
2002 modern 461 #10,228
2003 modern 436 #10,552
2004 modern 439 #10,516
2005 modern 455 #10,126
2006 modern 460 #10,073
2007 modern 454 #10,264
2008 modern 466 #10,162
2009 modern 516 #9,614
2010 modern 586 #8,946
2011 modern 583 #8,880
2012 modern 623 #8,342
2013 modern 654 #8,182
2014 modern 678 #7,979
2015 modern 684 #7,863
2016 modern 717 #7,575

Geography

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Where Mendez' 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, Sandwell and Rugby. 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 013 Islington
2 Sandwell 017 Sandwell
3 Rugby 005 Rugby
4 Sandwell 026 Sandwell
5 Rugby 003 Rugby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mendez

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mendez

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mendez, 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

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Mendez surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Mendez 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 never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

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, Mendez 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

Mendez 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

Mendez 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 Mendez 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 Mendez, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mendez

The surname Mendez has its origins in Spain, where it first emerged in the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Spanish word "mendez," which means "son of Mendo." Mendo was a common given name during the Middle Ages, originating from the Germanic name "Amund."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Mendez surname can be found in the Cartulario de San Millán de la Cogolla, a collection of medieval documents from the Monastery of San Millán de la Cogolla in La Rioja, Spain, dating back to the 10th century. The name appears in various forms, such as "Mendez," "Mendes," and "Méndez."

During the 12th century, the Mendez surname was prevalent in the regions of Galicia and Asturias, where it was associated with several noble families. One notable figure from this period was Pedro Mendez de Valdés, a Galician nobleman and military leader who fought in the Reconquista against the Moors.

In the 15th century, the Mendez surname gained prominence with the rise of Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, a renowned Spanish statesman, diplomat, and writer. He was born in 1415 in Guadalajara and served as the ambassador to Rome and Venice, among other influential positions.

Another notable individual was Juan de Mendoza y Luna, born in 1490 in Guadalajara, who served as the Viceroy of New Spain (present-day Mexico) from 1535 to 1551. He played a crucial role in the Spanish conquest and colonization of the region.

The Mendez surname also has a strong presence in Portugal, where it is often spelled "Mendes." One of the most famous Portuguese figures with this surname was Fernando Mendes Pinto, a 16th-century explorer and writer who traveled extensively throughout Asia and documented his adventures in the book "Peregrinação" (The Travels of Mendes Pinto).

In the New World, the Mendez surname can be traced back to the early Spanish colonizers and explorers who arrived in the Americas. Juan Rodríguez Mendez, born in Seville in 1562, was one of the first settlers in present-day Florida and helped establish the city of St. Augustine in 1565.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mendez families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mendez surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Kent leads with 8 Mendez' recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.15x.

County Total Index
Kent 8 14.15x
Middlesex 6 3.62x
Cheshire 1 2.73x
Essex 1 3.06x
Lancashire 1 0.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Woolwich in Kent leads with 8 Mendez' recorded in 1881 and an index of 382.78x.

Place Total Index
Woolwich 8 382.78x
Mile End Old Town 6 229.89x
Birkenhead 1 34.36x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 64.10x
East Ham 1 163.93x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Mendez surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Allenia 1
Ely 1
Harriet 1
Hester 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Louisa 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Mendez surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Benjamin 2
Albert 1
D. 1
Francisco 1
Jacob 1
Joseph 1
Marem 1
Robert 1
Theodore 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Mendez households.

FAQ

Mendez surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mendez surname in 1881?

In 1881, 17 people were recorded with the Mendez surname. That placed it at #31,170 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mendez surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 717 in 2016. That gives Mendez a modern rank of #7,575.

What does the Mendez surname mean?

A Spanish patronymic surname derived from the given name Menendo or Mendo, meaning "strong and brave."

What does the Mendez map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Mendez 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.