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

Maestas, 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 Maestas surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Maestas in America

Maestas is the 4287th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Maestas surname appeared 8,296 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Maestas.

We can also compare 2010 data for Maestas 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 Maestas

The surname Maestas has its origins in Spain, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is a patronymic surname derived from the Spanish word "maestro," meaning "master" or "teacher." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who held a position of authority or was a respected teacher or scholar.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Maestas can be found in the Libro de la Montería, a hunting treatise written in the 14th century during the reign of King Alfonso XI of Castile. This document mentions a certain "Juan Maestas" who was likely a nobleman or landowner involved in hunting activities at the time.

The name Maestas is believed to have originated in the regions of Castile and Aragon in Spain, where it was commonly found in medieval records and documents. Over time, the name spread to other parts of the Iberian Peninsula, and eventually made its way to the Americas during the Spanish colonization of the New World.

One notable figure bearing the Maestas surname was Fray Alonso de Benavides, a Franciscan friar who lived from 1578 to 1636. He served as a missionary in New Mexico and wrote extensively about the indigenous Puebloan peoples of the region. His accounts are considered valuable historical sources for understanding the early Spanish presence in the American Southwest.

Another prominent individual with the Maestas name was Juan de Oñate y Salazar (1550-1626), a Spanish explorer and colonial governor who led the first European settlement in present-day New Mexico. He is remembered for his controversial actions against the Acoma Pueblo, which led to the brutal massacre of many Native Americans.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Maestas surname was also found in various parts of New Spain (now Mexico), as Spanish settlers and colonists established themselves in the region. One example is Cristóbal de Maestas, a soldier and farmer who lived in the 17th century and was granted land in the Valle de Allende area of what is now Chihuahua, Mexico.

In the 18th century, Juan Antonio Maestas y Salazar (1703-1778) was a notable military figure who served as the governor of Spanish Louisiana from 1770 to 1776. He played a crucial role in defending the territory against British and Native American threats during his tenure.

Throughout its history, the Maestas surname has been associated with individuals from various backgrounds, including nobility, clergy, explorers, and military leaders. While its precise origins may be difficult to pinpoint, the name's connection to the Spanish word "maestro" suggests a legacy of respect and authority.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Maestas

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

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

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

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