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

Maj, 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 Maj surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Maj in America

Maj is the 45495th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Maj surname appeared 470 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 Maj.

We can also compare 2010 data for Maj 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 Maj

The surname Maj has its origins in Poland, where it first appeared in the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old Polish word "majać," which means "to wave" or "to beckon." The name may have initially been used to describe someone who was particularly animated or expressive with their hands.

In the earliest records, the surname appears with various spellings, such as Maj, Maje, and Majek. These variations likely reflect regional dialects and the evolution of the Polish language over time. One of the earliest documented instances of the name is found in the Liber Beneficiorum, a record of land grants and benefices compiled in the late 15th century by Jan Długosz, a renowned Polish historian and chronicler.

During the Middle Ages, the Maj surname was particularly prevalent in the regions of Greater Poland and Silesia. In the town of Kalisz, a prominent Maj family held significant landholdings and played a role in local governance. Notably, Stanisław Maj (c. 1520-1589) was a respected scholar and rector of the University of Kraków, making significant contributions to the intellectual life of the Renaissance era in Poland.

As the centuries progressed, the Maj surname spread across Poland and beyond. In the 17th century, Jan Maj (1615-1675) was a celebrated Polish military leader who distinguished himself in battles against the Swedes and the Ottoman Empire. His exploits earned him the sobriquet "the Lion of Lechistan," a reference to the ancient name for the lands inhabited by the Polish people.

Another notable figure was Marianna Maj (1718-1786), a Polish noblewoman and philanthropist who founded several schools and hospitals in her native Galicia. Her legacy as a patron of education and social welfare endured long after her death.

In the 19th century, the Maj surname gained further recognition with the accomplishments of Józef Maj (1818-1899), a pioneering Polish geologist and professor at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków. His groundbreaking work on the geology of the Carpathian Mountains and the Tatra region significantly advanced the understanding of the region's geological history.

These are just a few examples of the many individuals who have borne the Maj surname throughout history, contributing to various fields and leaving their mark on Polish culture and society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Maj

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!