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

Maith, 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 Maith surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Maith in America

Maith is the 129047th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Maith surname appeared 132 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 Maith.

We can also compare 2010 data for Maith 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 Maith

The surname Maith originated in Ireland, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old Irish word "maith," which means "good" or "fortunate." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive term or a nickname for someone with positive qualities or favorable circumstances.

Maith is a variant spelling of the more common Irish surname Mathew or Matthew, which itself is derived from the Hebrew name Mattityahu, meaning "gift of God." The surname Maith likely evolved from the anglicized version of the Irish name Mathúnach or Matúnach, which was a patronymic form meaning "son of Mathún."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Maith can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The annals mention a notable figure named Domhnall Maith Ua Ruairc, who was the King of Breifne (an ancient kingdom in modern-day counties Cavan and Leitrim) in the late 12th century.

Another historical figure bearing the surname Maith was Seán Maith Ua Lochlainn, who lived in the 15th century and was a renowned poet and scholar from County Donegal. His works, which were written in the Irish language, provide valuable insights into the cultural and literary traditions of that era.

In the 16th century, the surname Maith is recorded in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereign, a collection of official documents related to land grants and appointments in Ireland. One entry mentions a certain Richard Maith, who was granted lands in County Kilkenny in 1577.

Moving forward to the 17th century, there was a notable figure named Tadhg Maith Ó Cianáin (1588-1659), who was a prominent Irish historian and chronicler from County Clare. His work, known as the "Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland," is considered an important source for the study of Irish history during that period.

Another individual of note was Ruairí Maith Ó Luinín (1630-1718), a renowned Irish harper and composer from County Meath. He was celebrated for his mastery of the ancient Irish harp tradition and is believed to have composed several influential pieces of music.

While the surname Maith is relatively uncommon today, it continues to hold a place in Irish history and culture, reflecting the rich heritage and linguistic traditions of the island nation.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Maith

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

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

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

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