Find out how popular the last name Maa is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Maa.

Maa, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Maa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Maa in America

Maa is the 71678th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Maa surname appeared 272 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Maa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Maa to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Maa

The surname Maa has its origins in the Nordic countries, particularly in Sweden and Norway. It is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the Old Norse word "mår," which means "seagull" or "gull." This connection suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname may have lived near the coast or were associated with maritime activities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Maa can be traced back to the late 13th century in the Diplomatarium Norvegicum, a collection of medieval Norwegian diplomatic documents. In this record, a man named Orm Maa is mentioned as a witness to a land transaction in the region of Vestfold, Norway.

In the 14th century, a Norwegian farmer named Tord Maa is documented in the Icelandic Sagas, which are historical narratives about the early settlement of Iceland. This suggests that the name had already spread to other Nordic regions during this time.

During the 16th century, the name Maa appeared in various Swedish parish records, such as the Älvdalen Church records, where a family with the surname Maa was mentioned. This indicates that the name had established itself in Sweden as well.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname Maa was Hans Maa, a Swedish merchant and ship owner who lived in the 17th century (1620-1694). He played a significant role in the establishment of the Swedish East India Company and was involved in trade with Asia.

Another prominent individual was Johanna Maa (1782-1867), a Norwegian author and poet who wrote several works in the Nynorsk language. Her contributions to Norwegian literature earned her recognition as one of the pioneers of the Nynorsk movement.

In the 19th century, a Danish explorer named Ludvig Maa (1835-1901) gained fame for his expeditions to Greenland and the Arctic regions. His detailed accounts and cartographic work contributed significantly to the understanding of these remote areas.

Closer to the 20th century, Niels Maa (1890-1962) was a Norwegian architect renowned for his distinctive Scandinavian designs. He was responsible for the construction of several prominent buildings in Oslo, including the Oslo Rådhus (City Hall).

Throughout its history, the surname Maa has also been associated with various place names, such as Maarud and Maadalen in Norway, which may have influenced the surname's development or been influenced by it.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Maa

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Maa.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Maa was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Maa has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Maa was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Maa, please contact us.

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