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

Mae, 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 Mae surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mae in America

Mae is the 45105th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mae surname appeared 475 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 Mae.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mae 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 Mae

The surname Mae is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, likely derived from the Middle English word "maye," which referred to a young woman or maiden. This name may have been used as a descriptive nickname or a reference to the Virgin Mary.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Mae surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire from the year 1212, where a person named Richard Mae is mentioned. Another early reference appears in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1292, documenting a transaction involving a Thomas Mae.

In the 14th century, the surname Mae appears in various records across England, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1332, where a John Mae is listed, and the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379, which include a Thomas Mae.

During the 16th century, the Mae surname can be found in the Parish Registers of Stratford-upon-Avon, where a Thomas Mae was baptized in 1579. Additionally, the Hearth Tax Returns of Oxfordshire from 1665 mention a Thomas Mae residing in the village of Kirtlington.

Notable individuals with the surname Mae throughout history include:

1. William Mae (c. 1490 - 1560), an English Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake during the reign of Queen Mary I.

2. Margaret Mae (fl. 1620), a midwife from Warwickshire who was accused of witchcraft but later acquitted.

3. John Mae (1650 - 1718), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Somerset, who served as a Member of Parliament for Taunton.

4. Elizabeth Mae (1675 - 1757), a renowned botanical illustrator and artist from Gloucestershire, known for her detailed drawings of plants and flowers.

5. Thomas Mae (1718 - 1792), a Anglican clergyman and scholar from Oxfordshire, who authored several theological works and served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Banbury.

While the Mae surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and various historical events, contributing to the diversity of surnames and their fascinating origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mae

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

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

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

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