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

Maceira, 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 Maceira surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Maceira in America

Maceira is the 68345th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Maceira surname appeared 288 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 Maceira.

We can also compare 2010 data for Maceira 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 Maceira

The surname Maceira originates from the Iberian Peninsula, specifically Portugal, where it first emerged during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Portuguese word "macieira," which translates to "apple tree." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who lived near or worked with apple orchards.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Maceira surname can be found in the Livro Velho de Linhagens (Old Book of Lineages), a Portuguese genealogical manuscript dating back to the early 14th century. This document mentions individuals bearing the name Maceira, indicating their presence in Portugal during that time.

In the 15th century, records show that a nobleman named João Maceira served as a royal advisor to King Afonso V of Portugal. His influential role at the court highlights the prominence of the Maceira family during the Age of Discovery.

During the 16th century, the Maceira surname gained further recognition with the birth of Luís de Maceira (1515-1579), a renowned Portuguese composer and organist. His works, including liturgical music and motets, were highly regarded and contributed significantly to the cultural heritage of the Renaissance era.

Another notable figure was Diogo Maceira (1588-1653), a Portuguese soldier and explorer who participated in the colonization of Brazil. He is renowned for his role in the conquest of the Captaincy of Pernambuco and his contributions to the expansion of Portuguese settlements in South America.

In the 18th century, the Maceira surname gained international recognition with the birth of Manuel Maceira (1720-1792), a Spanish-born painter and engraver. His works, which included portraiture and religious pieces, were highly sought after and can be found in prestigious collections across Europe.

Throughout history, the Maceira surname has been associated with various place names and geographical locations in Portugal, such as Maceira (a parish in Leiria), Maceira-Liz (a parish in Coimbra), and Maceira-Dão (a parish in Viseu). These place names likely derived from the presence of apple orchards or individuals bearing the Maceira surname in those areas.

While the Maceira surname has its roots in Portugal, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period in the Iberian Peninsula, where it emerged as a distinctive surname reflecting the region's agricultural and cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Maceira

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

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 Maceira 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 Maceira 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 Maceira was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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