2000
#142,819
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Maillis
A Greek surname possibly derived from the term "mailles" meaning chain mail armor.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Maillis. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Maillis 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
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Maillis in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Maillis, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.0%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Maillis
The surname Maillis is believed to have originated in France during the medieval period. It is likely derived from the Old French word "maille," which referred to a type of metal armor or chainmail worn by knights and soldiers. This suggests that the name may have been originally borne by someone who was a maker or seller of chainmail.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Maillis can be found in the Armorial Général, a collection of French coats of arms compiled in the late 17th century. It lists several Maillis families from various regions of France, including Normandy and Brittany.
In the 14th century, a prominent figure named Jean Maillis was mentioned in historical records as a respected merchant and landowner in the town of Dieppe, Normandy. His descendants continued to play an influential role in the local community for several generations.
Another notable bearer of the name was François Maillis, a French soldier who fought in the Hundred Years' War against the English in the early 15th century. He was known for his bravery and skill in battle, and was mentioned in several contemporary accounts of the conflict.
During the Renaissance period, the Maillis family produced several notable scholars and intellectuals. One such figure was Pierre Maillis, a renowned philosopher and author who lived in Paris in the 16th century. His works on ethics and political theory were widely read and influential during his time.
In the 18th century, a French artist named Jacques Maillis gained recognition for his intricate tapestries and textile designs. His works were commissioned by several noble families and can still be seen in some of the grand châteaux of France.
Another notable bearer of the name was Marie Maillis, a prominent figure in the French Revolution. She was a passionate advocate for women's rights and played an active role in the revolutionary movements of the late 18th century.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Maillis
Among Census respondents with the surname Maillis, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.0%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Maillis 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 Maillis surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.7% · 104
- Hispanic or Latino6.0% · 7
- Two or more races4.3% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Maillis
Maillis appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+6 bearers (+5.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,382 places
2020
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+3 bearers (+2.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 1,173 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #142,819 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.6%) | Down 3,382 places |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.7%) | Up 1,173 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 Maillis 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 | #146,201 | #145,028 | 0.8% |
| Count | 113 | 116 | 2.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Maillis bearers went from 113 to 116 (+2.7% change). The surname moved up 1,173 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #145,028.
FAQ
Maillis surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Maillis?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Maillis. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Maillis?
Maillis ranks #145,028 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 116 people with the surname Maillis. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), 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 Maillis.
Has Maillis become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Maillis went from 113 recorded bearers to 116. That is an increase of 3 (+2.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #146,201 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Maillis?
Among Census respondents with the surname Maillis, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.0%) and Two or More Races (4.3%). 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 Maillis in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.7% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Maillis appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.7%), Hispanic (6.0%), Two or More Races (4.3%). 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 Maillis (2000, 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 Maillis mean?
A Greek surname possibly derived from the term "mailles" meaning chain mail armor. 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 Maillis (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 common is the surname Maillis?
Find out how many Americans have the surname Maillis on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.