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

Maes, 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 Maes surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Maes in America

Maes is the 5746th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Maes surname appeared 6,033 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Maes.

We can also compare 2010 data for Maes 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 Maes

The surname "MAES" has its origins in the Netherlands and Belgium, where it first emerged in the 12th century. The name is derived from the Dutch word "maes," which means "meadow" or "open field." It is believed that the name was originally given to someone who lived near a meadow or worked on a meadow.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century, when it was spelled "Maeys" or "Maas." In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Mays," "Mays," and "Mays." These variations were likely due to regional differences in pronunciation and spelling conventions.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Jan Maes, a painter from Antwerp, Belgium, who lived from 1634 to 1693. He was a prominent figure in the Flemish Baroque tradition and is best known for his large-scale religious works and portraits.

Another notable figure with the surname "MAES" was Andreas Masius (1516-1573), a Dutch Catholic theologian and biblical scholar. He was born in Lennik, Brabant, and is known for his Latin translations of the Bible and his commentaries on various books of the Old Testament.

In the 17th century, the name "MAES" was associated with several Dutch explorers and colonists. One such figure was Jacob Maes, who was born in Amsterdam in 1632 and later settled in the Dutch colony of Suriname, where he served as a government official.

The name "MAES" also has a connection to the world of literature. Camille Lemonnier (1844-1913), a Belgian novelist and poet, was born with the surname "MAES" but later changed it to "Lemonnier." He is considered one of the pioneers of the Belgian literary renaissance and is best known for his naturalistic novels and short stories.

In the 19th century, the surname "MAES" appeared in various historical records and documents across Belgium and the Netherlands. For instance, the "Maes" family was mentioned in the archives of the city of Antwerp, where they were involved in various trades and professions.

Throughout history, the surname "MAES" has been borne by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, from artists and scholars to explorers and colonists. While the name's origins can be traced back to the Netherlands and Belgium, it has since spread to other parts of the world, reflecting the mobility and migration patterns of its bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Maes

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

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

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

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