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 92358th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Maldonado surname appeared 199 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 Mandonado is of Spanish origin, with roots that can be traced back to the medieval period in the Iberian Peninsula. It is believed to have originated as a toponym, derived from a place name or geographical location.

The name is likely a variant of the Spanish surname Maldonado, which itself is thought to have originated from the town of Maldonado, located in the province of Salamanca, Spain. The town's name is derived from the Latin words "malum" (apple) and "donatum" (given), suggesting a connection to apple orchards or gifted lands.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Mandonado can be found in the Archivo General de Indias, a collection of documents from the Spanish colonial era in the Americas. These records mention a certain Juan Mandonado, who was a conquistador and explorer in the 16th century.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, as Spain expanded its territories through exploration and conquest, many individuals with the surname Mandonado or its variants played significant roles in these endeavors. Notable figures include:

1. Alonso Mandonado (1475-1542), a Spanish explorer who accompanied Hernán Cortés in the conquest of Mexico and later served as a governor in various regions.

2. Diego Mandonado (1510-1578), a navigator and cartographer who led several expeditions to the Pacific Ocean and is credited with mapping parts of the California coastline.

3. Melchora Mandonado (1535-1610), a renowned healer and midwife in colonial Peru, who was revered for her knowledge of traditional medicine and her service to indigenous communities.

4. Beatriz Mandonado (1550-1620), a Spanish noblewoman and philanthropist, known for her support of various religious orders and charitable institutions in her hometown of Seville.

5. Francisco Mandonado (1620-1692), a Jesuit missionary who traveled extensively throughout South America, working to convert indigenous populations and establish missions in remote regions.

While the surname Mandonado may have evolved from its original Maldonado form, it has maintained a distinct identity and presence throughout Spanish-speaking regions, particularly in Latin America, where many individuals continue to carry this name as a testament to their ancestral heritage.

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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