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

Maradiaga, 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 Maradiaga surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Maradiaga in America

Maradiaga is the 12068th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Maradiaga surname appeared 2,584 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Maradiaga.

We can also compare 2010 data for Maradiaga 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 Maradiaga

The surname Maradiaga originated in Honduras, Central America. It is believed to date back to the 16th century, following the Spanish conquest of the region. The name is derived from the Lenca indigenous language, with "mara" meaning "highland" or "mountain" and "diaga" meaning "town" or "settlement". This suggests that the name likely referred to a highland town or village where the family originated.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Maradiaga can be found in the 1597 census records of the town of Gracias, located in the western highlands of Honduras. This document lists several families with the surname, indicating their presence in the area during the early colonial period.

In the 18th century, the Maradiaga name appeared in various land ownership records and legal documents throughout the western and central regions of Honduras. This suggests that the family had achieved a certain level of prominence and influence during this time.

One notable individual with the Maradiaga surname was José Cecilio del Valle Maradiaga (1780-1834), a prominent Honduran writer, philosopher, and politician. He played a pivotal role in the independence movement of Central America and served as the first Vice President of the Federal Republic of Central America.

Another noteworthy figure was General José Francisco Maradiaga (1792-1856), a Honduran military leader and politician. He served as the President of Honduras from 1830 to 1831 and again from 1839 to 1844. Maradiaga played a significant role in the country's struggle for independence and the formation of the Central American Federation.

In the 19th century, the Maradiaga family had established itself as one of the prominent clan names in Honduras. Several members of the family held influential positions in politics, business, and the military during this period.

One such individual was General José María Medina Maradiaga (1827-1898), a Honduran military leader and politician who served as the President of Honduras from 1876 to 1878. He was instrumental in the construction of the country's first railroad and the promotion of economic development.

The name Maradiaga has also been associated with various place names in Honduras. For example, the town of Maradiaga located in the department of Choluteca, as well as the municipality of Maradiagan in the department of Francisco Morazán, both likely derived their names from the prominent local family.

While the origins of the Maradiaga surname can be traced back to the indigenous Lenca people of Honduras, it has since become a widely recognized and respected name throughout the country and beyond. The family's influence and contributions to Honduran history and culture have solidified their place in the nation's heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Maradiaga

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

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

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

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