Surname Melet - Meaning and Origin
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Melet: What does the surname Melet mean?
The last name Melet originates from Medieval French and Norman origins. The name itself is derived from the French word “Melet,” meaning “little or light.” Thus, the surname is believed to have evolved from a nickname given to someone with an overall smaller stature or lighter-colored complexion.
The earliest known record of the name was found in France in 1324. At this time in history, France was divided into several regions, and the Melet surname was most widely seen in Normandy. However, during the 15th and 16th centuries, the Melet family began to slowly move to other parts of Europe, such as Southern Belgium, Italy, and Germany.
Today, the name Melet is still relatively rare with an estimated 2,000 individuals bearing the name in France. The name is more commonly found in the Centre-Val de Loire, Limousin, and Aquitaine regions of the country.
Beyond its origin, the name Melet has become associated with attributes like “freshness” and “liveliness.” It is believed that the bearers of this surname endeavor to bring these qualities to any task they take on. It is not uncommon for Melet family members to have an indomitable spirit, an appreciation of life, and a contagious zest for living.
Order DNA origin analysisMelet: Where does the name Melet come from?
The surname Melet is primarily found in Spain, followed by France and Italy, and is believed to be of Germanic origin. In Spain, it has been linked to the Basque Country, with some families from the region tracing their roots back to the 12th century. In France, it appears mostly in the Vendee region. In Italy, Melet is predominantly found in the Puglia region. It is also famously present in Latin America, particularly in Mexico and Peru.
Within Spain, Melet is an uncommon surname. A 2018 study found that of the 43,500 Melets registered in Spain, the majority of them were concentrated in the regions of Basque Country, Aragon, Catalonia, Castilla León and Madrid.
In France, the name is more widely spread; according to the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies, there were 58,478 Melets living in France in 2019. Similarly in Italy, the name is more commonly encountered, with 34,803 persons being registered as Melet.
Overall, the surname Melet appears to be most widespread within Europe, with a majority of cases found in Spain, France and Italy. Its presence and popularity in Latin American countries has been largely attributed to colonization in the 19th century, suggesting its Germanic origins.
Variations of the surname Melet
The surname Melet is of French and German origin and has many different variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. In France, the surname can be spelled Melet, Melety, Melot, and Maillet. Variants of the surname can also be found in Germany, where it can be written as Mehlet, Mallet, Melette, Melett, Mailett, and Malet.
In English-speaking countries, the Melet name can be found written as Mallett, Mallatt, Malett, Mallot, Mallow, Maley, Malloy, and Maloy. As French and German are common ancestral languages in North America, Miliott, Millott, Millet, Millot, Miles, and Milloy variants have all developed in some parts of the country.
The French version of the surname can also be found with various endings, such as Mail- or Mael- instead of Melet. This includes Malecoq, Maelfait, Malerbe, Maillet, Malliers, and Marechal to name a few. Other French spellings of the surname include Mailhot, Maleger, Malagnoux, Maleigne, Malgouyat, and Maloisel.
Finally, many surnames may have developed independently of the original Melet, yet their origins lie in the same family. Examples of such surnames include Deloite, Meliosso, Meliquest, Melisee, Mettee, Metzger, Melcy, Mellas, and Millias.
In conclusion, the Melet surname has many variants and spellings in multiple languages, with several related surnames also having developed independently from the original.
Famous people with the name Melet
- Jean-Pierre Melet: A French professional volleyball player
- Marcelo Melet: A Brazilian actor
- Leandro Melet: A Brazilian journalist
- Leindo Melet: A Greek footballer
- Ismail Melet: An Indonesian footballer
- Bodo Melet: A German conductor
- Nicole Melet: A French actress
- Cédric Melet: A French volleyball player
- Fabrice Melet: A French music producer
- Dave Melet: An American comedian