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

Maltez, 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 Maltez surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Maltez in America

Maltez is the 30043rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Maltez surname appeared 781 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 Maltez.

We can also compare 2010 data for Maltez 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 Maltez

The surname Maltez has its origins in the Maltese archipelago, a group of islands located in the Mediterranean Sea. It can be traced back to the late 15th century, when Malta came under the rule of the Knights of St. John. During this period, the name Maltez was likely derived from the adjective "Maltese," referring to a person or thing associated with the islands.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Maltez can be found in the archives of the Order of St. John, where it appears as "Maltiz" in a document dated 1498. This spelling variation suggests that the name may have originally been influenced by the Italian language, which was widely spoken in Malta at the time.

In the 16th century, the surname Maltez appeared in several historical records, including the 1565 account of the Great Siege of Malta, where a person named Giacomo Maltez was mentioned as a defender of the island against the Ottoman Empire. This event solidified the name's connection to Maltese identity and courage.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the surname Maltez spread beyond the Maltese Islands, with individuals bearing this name appearing in various parts of Europe and the Mediterranean region. One notable figure was Vincenzo Maltez, a Maltese artist born in 1672, whose paintings can be found in churches and museums across Malta.

In the 19th century, the surname Maltez gained further recognition with the birth of Fortunato Maltez (1825-1892), a Maltese politician and writer who played a significant role in the literary and cultural renaissance of Malta during the British colonial period.

Another important figure was Maria Maltez (1870-1953), a Maltese philanthropist and educator who founded several schools and charitable organizations in Malta, aimed at improving the lives of underprivileged children and women.

As the 20th century dawned, the surname Maltez continued to be associated with notable individuals from Malta, such as Carmelo Maltez (1910-1985), a renowned Maltese architect who designed several iconic buildings in Valletta, the capital city of Malta.

Throughout its history, the surname Maltez has remained closely tied to the Maltese Islands, reflecting the rich cultural heritage and resilience of the Maltese people. While its origins can be traced back to the late medieval period, the name has endured and spread across various regions, serving as a testament to the global reach of Maltese diaspora.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Maltez

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

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

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

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