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

Maitra, 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 Maitra surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Maitra in America

Maitra is the 68547th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Maitra surname appeared 287 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 Maitra.

We can also compare 2010 data for Maitra 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 Maitra

The surname Maitra is believed to have originated in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the region of Bengal. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "mitra," which means "friend" or "companion." The earliest known usage of the name can be traced back to the 16th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Maitra surname is found in a manuscript from the late 16th century, which mentions a scholar and poet named Raghunandan Maitra. This individual was known for his contributions to Bengali literature and is considered one of the pioneers of the Vaishnava literary tradition in Bengal.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Maitra surname gained prominence in various parts of Bengal, particularly in the regions of present-day West Bengal and Bangladesh. Many families with this surname held influential positions in the fields of education, literature, and governance.

In the 19th century, a notable figure bearing the Maitra surname was Rajendra Lal Maitra (1803-1888), a prominent social reformer and educationist. He played a significant role in establishing some of the earliest schools and colleges in Bengal, contributing to the spread of modern education in the region.

Another prominent individual with the Maitra surname was Akshay Kumar Maitra (1888-1968), a renowned Indian philosopher and scholar of Vedanta. He was widely respected for his work in interpreting and promoting the teachings of Advaita Vedanta, and his writings continue to be studied and referenced by scholars and students of Indian philosophy.

In the 20th century, Bijon Bhattacharya Maitra (1914-1992) gained recognition as a renowned Indian freedom fighter and politician. He actively participated in the Indian independence movement and later served as a member of the Constituent Assembly of India, playing a crucial role in the drafting of the Indian Constitution.

It is worth noting that the Maitra surname is also found in various spellings and variations, such as Mitra, Mittra, and Maitre, depending on regional influences and linguistic adaptations. While the name has its roots in Bengal, individuals bearing this surname can now be found in various parts of India and abroad, reflecting the diasporic spread of the Bengali community over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Maitra

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

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

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

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