Melua (surname)

Melua (/ˈmɛluːə/) is a family name originating in Georgia, specifically the Mingrelia region around the city of Zugdidi (Georgian: მელუა); it belongs to Orthodox Christian culture.

Samegrelo (Modern Georgia)

Usually Georgian etymologists consider that the surname came from the word melia (sometimes mela), meaning fox. Other surnames derived from the word melia are Meluava, Meliava, Meliva and Meladze.[1] In French the surname is written Méloua.

History

19th century

Groups with the surname Melua migrated from the Mingrelia region to the Guria region (around the town of Ozurgeti) to farm and breed horses, to Imereti (around the town of Kutaisi), and to Tbilisi.

Guria (Modern Georgia)


20th century

Some individuals bearing this name sought refuge abroad after the Red Army invaded the country.[2]

  • Mirian Melua (1903-1991), refugee in France
  • Elie Melia (1915-1988), lived in Belgium and then in France; priest and historian of the Georgian Orthodox Church.
  • Alexandre Meliava (1908-1968), refugee in France.

During the Soviet years, groups with the surname Melua migrated from Mingrelia, Guria and Tbilisi to Batum, Kiev, Moscow and Leningrad, for education and universities, but also for jobs.

After the return of Georgian sovereignty and the civil war, in 1991, a lot of people left the country and migrated; some with the surname Melua moved to Great Britain or to the United States, looking for a better life.

21st century

Today, there are Georgian, American, British, French and Russian people with the surname Melua:

  • Arkady Melua is the Russian general director and editor-in-chief of the scientific publishing house, Humanistica.
  • David Melua[3] is the executive secretary of National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia
  • Elen Melua,[4] was a former fashion collection chief, in Paris
  • George Meluava[5] is an American artist, painter
  • Katie Melua is a British singer
  • Luc Méloua was a French motorist and journalist
  • Mikheil Melua[6] was a champion of Georgia in martial arts ("Goju-Ryu Karate")
  • Mirian Melua, son,[7] is chief editor of the newsletter Les Infos Brèves France Géorgie.

There are people bearing the name living in western Europe, children of Elie Melia :

  • Nina Melia
  • Elie Melia, son
  • Ketevan Melia.

There were and there are Meliavas living in western Europe, children of Alexandre Meliava :

  • Guy Meliava (1939-2006), French designer
  • Michel Meliava, French engineer
  • Natacha Meliava, French business advisor
  • Serge Meliava (1937-2011),[8] former President of Georgian Association in France.

References
  1. Lasha Bakradse, French translation Dominique Gauthier-Eligoulachvili : "Le Géorgien de poche. Noms de famille et prénoms", Assimil 2003.
  2. "Le Gouvernement de Réfugés" (PDF). French office of refugee (in French). 12 December 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 December 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015..
  3. USAID, List of Participants : "David Melua"..
  4. "Elen Melua, former fashion collection chief, in Paris"..
  5. Savannah's City Hall gets artistic flair : "George Meluava"..
  6. Martial Arts Center Georgia : "Mikheil Melua"..
  7. "Mirian Méloua, ingénieur et journaliste, d'origine géorgienne". colisee.org (in French). 29 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2015..
  8. "Serge Méliava (1937-2011), ancien président de l'Association géorgienne en France". colisee.org (in French). 26 November 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2015. .
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