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

Maldonado, 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 Maldonado surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Maldonado in America

Maldonado is the 77788th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Maldonado surname appeared 246 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 Maldonado.

We can also compare 2010 data for Maldonado 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 Maldonado

The surname Maldondo originates from the Iberian Peninsula, specifically from the regions of Spain and Portugal, dating back to the 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Spanish word "mal" meaning "bad" or "evil" and the Latin word "donum" meaning "gift." This combination suggests that the name may have initially referred to an undesirable or unfortunate gift or circumstance.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Maldondo can be found in the Spanish archives of the city of Seville from the late 15th century, where it appears in reference to a local landowner. It is also mentioned in several historical documents from the same period in neighboring regions of Andalusia and Extremadura.

During the 16th century, the Maldondo name gained prominence as Juan Maldondo (1490-1567), a renowned Spanish explorer and navigator, was instrumental in mapping the coastlines of South America and establishing trade routes between Spain and its colonies in the New World. His expeditions and detailed charts contributed significantly to the expansion of Spanish influence in the Americas.

In the 17th century, Maria Maldondo (1612-1689), a prominent figure in the Spanish Court, gained notoriety for her involvement in various political intrigues and her influence over the royal family. Her memoirs, which were published posthumously, provided valuable insights into the workings of the Spanish monarchy during that era.

The Maldondo surname also has a presence in Portugal, where it is believed to have evolved from the similar-sounding Portuguese name "Maldonado." One notable bearer of this variant was Pedro Maldonado (1645-1718), a Portuguese-born explorer and cartographer who made significant contributions to the mapping of the Amazon Basin and the interior regions of South America.

Another prominent figure with the Maldondo name was Alejandro Maldondo (1785-1862), a Spanish military leader who played a crucial role in the Peninsular War against Napoleonic France. His tactical brilliance and leadership were instrumental in several decisive battles, earning him widespread recognition and honors from the Spanish crown.

While the Maldondo surname has its roots in the Iberian Peninsula, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly to Latin American countries, due to the Spanish and Portuguese colonial expansions. However, its origins and historical significance remain closely tied to the rich cultural heritage of Spain and Portugal.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Maldonado

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

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

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

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