2000
#5,261
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,090
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.26
Uncommon Last name
Marte
Derived from the Latin name "Martis," referring to Mars, the Roman god of war and agriculture.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 11,669 Americans carry the last name Marte. That puts it at #3,431 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.40 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 29,373 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Marte 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
12K
1 in 29,373
Census rank
#3,431
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
10K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,176 bearers of the surname Marte in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.40 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3431st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Marte, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 91.5%. The next largest groups are White (5.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Marte
The surname Marte has its origins in Italy, with the earliest records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word "Martis," meaning Mars, the Roman god of war. This suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon someone who exhibited warrior-like qualities or was associated with military endeavors.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Marte can be found in the historic manuscripts of the city of Perugia, located in the Umbria region of Italy. These documents, dating back to the late 12th century, mention several individuals bearing the Marte surname, suggesting that the name had already established itself in the region by that time.
During the Renaissance period, the name Marte gained further prominence, particularly in the city of Florence. Records from the 15th century indicate that a notable figure named Giovanni Marte (1420-1488) was a respected artist and sculptor who contributed to several architectural projects in the city, including the famous Duomo.
In the 16th century, another prominent individual named Lucrezia Marte (1501-1573) gained recognition as a renowned poet and writer. Her works, which often explored themes of love and the human condition, earned her widespread acclaim and a place in the literary circles of her time.
The name Marte also has a connection to the world of exploration and discovery. In the early 17th century, an Italian navigator and cartographer named Pietro Marte (1585-1648) gained fame for his detailed maps and charts of the Mediterranean region, which were invaluable resources for sailors and explorers of that era.
As the centuries passed, the Marte surname continued to spread across Italy and beyond. In the 19th century, a notable Italian astronomer named Giovanni Battista Marte (1792-1867) made significant contributions to the study of celestial bodies and the movements of planets, further adding to the name's legacy in the scientific realm.
While the surname Marte may not be among the most common in Italy today, it remains a part of the country's rich historical tapestry, reflecting its ancient roots and the diverse achievements of those who have borne this name throughout the ages.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Marte
Among Census respondents with the surname Marte, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 91.5%. The next largest groups are White (5.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Marte 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 Marte surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino91.5% · 9,307
- White5.0% · 504
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 196
- Black or African American1.3% · 131
- Two or more races0.4% · 36
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Marte
Marte 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
#4,007
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,867
+2,777 bearers (+45.6%)
Per 100,000 3.01
Rank movement Up 1,254 places
2020
#3,431
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,176
+1,309 bearers (+14.8%)
Per 100,000 3.40
Rank movement Up 576 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,261 | 6,090 | 2.26 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,007 | 8,867 | 3.01 | +2,777 bearers (+45.6%) | Up 1,254 places |
| 2020 | #3,431 | 10,176 | 3.40 | +1,309 bearers (+14.8%) | Up 576 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 Marte 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 | #4,007 | #3,431 | 14.4% |
| Count | 8,867 | 10,176 | 14.8% |
| Per 100K | 3.01 | 3.40 | 13.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Marte bearers went from 8,867 to 10,176 (+14.8% change). The surname moved up 576 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,007 to #3,431.
FAQ
Marte surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Marte?
Name Census estimates that about 11,669 living Americans carry the surname Marte. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 29,373 residents.
How common is Marte?
Marte ranks #3,431 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.40 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 10,176 people with the surname Marte. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (11,669), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.4 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.40 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Marte.
Has Marte become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Marte went from 8,867 recorded bearers to 10,176. That is an increase of 1,309 (+14.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #4,007 to #3,431.
What does the Census say about the background of Marte?
Among Census respondents with the surname Marte, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 91.5%. The next largest groups are White (5.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%). 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 Marte in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.5% (9,307 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Marte appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (91.5%), White (5.0%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%). 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 Marte (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 Marte mean?
Derived from the Latin name "Martis," referring to Mars, the Roman god of war and agriculture. 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 Marte (3.40 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 common is the surname Marte?
You can see how common the surname Marte is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.