2010
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Madea
A Greek surname derived from the name Madea in Greek mythology.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Madea. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Madea surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Madea in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Madea, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (4.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Madea
The surname MADEA has its origins in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in the regions of Spain and Portugal, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Spanish word "madero," meaning "timber" or "wood," suggesting a possible connection to occupations or locations related to forestry or woodworking.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the MADEA surname can be found in the archives of the city of Seville, Spain, where a document from 1587 mentions a certain Juan MADEA, a carpenter by trade. This lends credence to the theory of the name's association with wood-related professions.
In the 17th century, the MADEA surname appears in various records across the Spanish territories, including the New World colonies. One notable individual was Pedro MADEA, a Spanish explorer and navigator who participated in the exploration and mapping of the Pacific Coast of South America in the 1620s.
During the 18th century, the name continued to be found in different regions of Spain and Portugal, with variations in spelling, such as MADEJA and MADEA, emerging. In 1756, a nobleman named Diego MADEA was recorded as a landowner in the province of Andalusia, Spain.
As the Spanish Empire expanded, the MADEA surname also spread to other parts of the world. In the late 18th century, a prominent figure named José MADEA was a respected military officer in the Spanish colonial forces stationed in the Philippines.
In the 19th century, the MADEA surname gained more prominence in Latin American countries, particularly in Mexico and Argentina. One notable individual was María MADEA, a renowned Mexican poet and activist who fought for women's rights and education in the mid-1800s.
As the centuries progressed, the MADEA surname continued to be carried by individuals across various fields, including arts, sciences, and politics. In the early 20th century, a Chilean scientist named Carlos MADEA made significant contributions to the field of botany through his research on native plant species.
While the surname MADEA has its roots in the Iberian Peninsula, it has since become a part of the cultural tapestry of many nations, reflecting the diverse histories and journeys of those who have carried this name through generations.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Madea
Among Census respondents with the surname Madea, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (4.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Madea bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Madea surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.9% · 86
- Hispanic or Latino8.6% · 9
- Asian and Pacific Islander4.8% · 5
- Black or African American3.8% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Madea
Madea appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-5 bearers (-4.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,594 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-4.5%) | Down 3,594 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Madea surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #149,395 | #152,989 | -2.4% |
| Count | 110 | 105 | -4.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Madea bearers went from 110 to 105 (-4.5% change). The surname moved down 3,594 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #152,989.
FAQ
Madea surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Madea?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Madea. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Madea?
Madea ranks #152,989 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 105 people with the surname Madea. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Madea.
Has Madea become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Madea went from 110 recorded bearers to 105. That is a decrease of 5 (-4.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #149,395 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Madea?
Among Census respondents with the surname Madea, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (4.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Madea in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.9% (86 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Madea appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (81.9%), Hispanic (8.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (4.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Madea (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Madea mean?
A Greek surname derived from the name Madea in Greek mythology. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Madea (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Madea?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.