Mengistu (Amharic: መንግስቱ) is a male given name and a patronymic surname of Ethiopian origin that may refer to: Given name Mengistu Haile Mariam (born 1937), Ethiopian President and Chairman of the Derg Mengistu Worku (1940–2010), Ethiopian football player and coach Mengistu Neway (1919–1961), Ethiopian commander of the Imperial Bodyguard Mengistu Lemma (1924–1988), Ethiopian playwright and poet.
Surname Avera Mengistu (born 1986), Ethiopian-Israeli abductee Meseret Mengistu (born 1990), Ethiopian long-distance runner Shewalul Mengistu (1944–1977), Ethiopian poet, songwriter, journalist and political activist Tigist Mengistu (born 2000), Ethiopian Paralympic athlete