Medeiros
What is the origin of the last name Medeiros?
Meaning and origin
The last name Medeiros traces its origins to Portugal, specifically to the region of Medeiros or Medeiros de Aguiar in northern Portugal. Derived from the Latin word "mediator" meaning intermediate or mediator, the surname likely originated as a patronymic name, indicating descent from an individual or family associated with the Medeiros region. Over time, the name spread through emigration to various parts of the world, particularly Brazil, where it is a relatively common surname.
The longer story
The last name Medeiros is a Portuguese and Galician surname that is derived from the Latin word "medius" meaning "middle".
It is primarily found in Portugal and Brazil, but can also be found in other Portuguese-speaking countries and communities around the world.
The name Medeiros is classified as a patronymic surname, meaning it is derived from the first name of an ancestor. In this case, it is likely derived from the given name "Medeiro", which itself is a variant of the name "Mediero".
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
#1,889
Medeiros was the 1,889th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 19,031 people, about 6.2 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Medeiros
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Medeiros is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.