Mendes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Spain

The distinguished surname Mendes comes from Spain, a country rich in culture and history. The earliest forms of hereditary surnames in Spain were the patronymic surnames, which are derived from the father's given name, and metronymic surnames, which are derived from the mother's given name. Spanish patronymic names emerged as early as the mid-9th century and the most common patronymic suffix is ez. The patronyms were derived from a variety of given names that were of many different origins. Some names are derived from the saints of the Christian Church, but many Spanish surnames are derived from personal names of Germanic origin. The Visigoths, who ruled Spain between the mid-5th and early 8th centuries had a profound impact on the development of surnames.

Early Origins of the Mendes family

The surname Mendes was first found in Asturias, birthplace of the Reconquest.

The first record of the family was Gutier Menéndez (c. 865 - 934), the most powerful Galician magnate of his time in the Kingdom of León. He was related to the royal family through marriages and acted as a powerbroker in the civil wars that followed the disputed succession of 925. His brother-in-law was Ordoño II, king of Galicia from 910 and then of León from 914 until his death in 924. In his will, Gutier says that during his career he obtained wealth through "royal grants, booty in war and other means" in addition to the wealth that he had inherited. His brother was Count Arias Menendez and one of the count's daughter Elvira Arias, married her cousin Muio (fl. 911-955.)

Early History of the Mendes family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mendes research. Another 158 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1519, 1565, 1574, 1579, 1620, 1622, 1623, 1634, 1659, 1675, 1692, 1839, 1841, 1842, 1844, 1845 and 1847 are included under the topic Early Mendes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mendes Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Ménendez, Menendez, Méndez, Mendez, Meléndez, Melendez, Ménez, Menez and many more.

Early Notables of the Mendes family

Prominent among members of the family

Afonso Mendes (1579-1659), a Jesuit theologian, and Patriarch of Ethiopia from 1622 to 1634

Mendes Ranking

In the United States, the name Mendes is the 4,992^nd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Mendes is ranked the 665^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,147 people with that name. 2

Mendes migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Mendes Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Juan Mendes, aged 20, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1830 3
Alonso Mendes, who arrived in Mexico in 1836 3
Mariano Mendes, aged 31, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1846 3
Lorendo Mendes, aged 28, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1848 3
Asst. Commeparg General J Mendes, (b. 1809), aged 40, English Army traveling aboard the ship "Thomas Wattson" arriving in Philadelphia in 1849 traveling on to Canada 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Mendes migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 5

Mendes Settlers in West Indies in the 18th Century

Rapl Mendes, who arrived in Jamaica in 1740-1741 3
Solomon Mendes, who landed in Jamaica in 1740-1741 3
Esther Pereira Mendes, who landed in Jamaica in 1742-1743 3
Jacob Pereira Mendes, who landed in Jamaica in 1742-1743 3
Abigail Mendes, who landed in Jamaica in 1743 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Mendes (post 1700) +

Eva Mendes (b. 1974), American actress and model
António Abrantes Mendes (1907-1987), Portuguese footballer
Amazonino Armando Mendes (1939-2023), Brazilian politician, Governor of Amazonas for three non-consecutive tenures
Paulo Mendes da Rocha (1928-2021), Brazilian architect
Aldir Blanc Mendes (1946-2020), Brazilian author of crônicas
Fernando Mamede Mendes (1937-2016), Portuguese football midfielder and manager
Gilberto Mendes (1922-2016), Brazilian composer
Murilo Mendes (1901-1975), Brazilian poet
Arnaldo Tamayo Mendes (b. 1942), first Cuban citizen, first Hispanic, and first Black person in space
Catulle Mendès (1841-1909), French writer

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Barbados archives retrieved 2nd November 2021 from https://attheBarbadosarchives.wordpress.com/2003/07/18/Barbados-heritage-passenger-lists-and-Barbados-departures/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies