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

Maceo, 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 Maceo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Maceo in America

Maceo is the 75564th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Maceo surname appeared 255 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 Maceo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Maceo 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 Maceo

The surname Maceo originated in Italy, specifically in the region of Sicily. It dates back to the 16th century and is believed to be derived from the Latin word "Maceus," which means "thin" or "lean." This suggests that the name was initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone with a slender or thin physique.

The earliest recorded instances of the Maceo surname can be found in historical documents from the city of Palermo, Sicily, in the late 1500s. While the name is not mentioned in any major historical manuscripts or records, it is likely that it was used among the local population in Sicily during that time period.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Maceo was Antonio Maceo (1848-1896), a prominent Cuban revolutionary leader who played a crucial role in the struggle for Cuban independence from Spain. He was a talented military strategist and is revered as a national hero in Cuba.

Another notable figure with the Maceo surname was Francesco Maceo (1595-1672), an Italian painter from the Baroque period. He was born in Messina, Sicily, and is known for his religious paintings and frescoes adorning various churches in Italy.

In the 19th century, a branch of the Maceo family migrated to Argentina, where they established themselves. One of their descendants, José Maceo (1879-1951), was a renowned Argentine writer and journalist who contributed to several literary publications and wrote several novels and short stories.

During the 20th century, the Maceo surname gained further recognition with Mario Maceo (1920-2003), an Italian film actor who appeared in numerous Italian and international productions, including collaborations with notable directors like Federico Fellini.

While the surname Maceo is not as widely spread as some other Italian surnames, it has maintained a presence throughout history, with notable individuals bearing the name and contributing to various fields, particularly in the arts and literature.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Maceo

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

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

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

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