2000
#19,734
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,263
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.47
Rare Last name
Maradiaga
Basque habitational surname denoting someone from a place called Maradiaga, likely derived from "mara" (creek) and "di" (place).
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,698 Americans carry the last name Maradiaga. That puts it at #9,628 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 92,686 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Maradiaga surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
3.7K
1 in 92,686
Census rank
#9,628
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,225 bearers of the surname Maradiaga in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9628th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Maradiaga, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.3%. The next largest groups are White (3.6%) and Black (0.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Maradiaga
Among Census respondents with the surname Maradiaga, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.3%. The next largest groups are White (3.6%) and Black (0.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Maradiaga bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Maradiaga surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino95.3% · 3,073
- White3.6% · 116
- Black or African American0.5% · 17
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 10
- Two or more races0.2% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Maradiaga
Maradiaga appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#12,068
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,584
+1,321 bearers (+104.6%)
Per 100,000 0.88
Rank movement Up 7,666 places
2020
#9,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,225
+641 bearers (+24.8%)
Per 100,000 1.08
Rank movement Up 2,440 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #19,734 | 1,263 | 0.47 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,068 | 2,584 | 0.88 | +1,321 bearers (+104.6%) | Up 7,666 places |
| 2020 | #9,628 | 3,225 | 1.08 | +641 bearers (+24.8%) | Up 2,440 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Maradiaga surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #12,068 | #9,628 | 20.2% |
| Count | 2,584 | 3,225 | 24.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.88 | 1.08 | 22.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Maradiaga bearers went from 2,584 to 3,225 (+24.8% change). The surname moved up 2,440 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,068 to #9,628.
FAQ
Maradiaga surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Maradiaga?
Name Census estimates that about 3,698 living Americans carry the surname Maradiaga. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 92,686 residents.
How common is Maradiaga?
Maradiaga ranks #9,628 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.08 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,225 people with the surname Maradiaga. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,698), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.08 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.08 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Maradiaga.
Has Maradiaga become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Maradiaga went from 2,584 recorded bearers to 3,225. That is an increase of 641 (+24.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #12,068 to #9,628.
What does the Census say about the background of Maradiaga?
Among Census respondents with the surname Maradiaga, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.3%. The next largest groups are White (3.6%) and Black (0.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Maradiaga in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.3% (3,073 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Maradiaga appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (95.3%), White (3.6%), Black (0.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Maradiaga (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Maradiaga mean?
Basque habitational surname denoting someone from a place called Maradiaga, likely derived from "mara" (creek) and "di" (place). The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Maradiaga (1.08 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Maradiaga?
If you just want to know how many Americans have the surname Maradiaga, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.