Masis last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Masis

A surname originating from the Armenian city of Masis or related Armenian toponym.

Masis, 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 Masis surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Masis in America

Masis is the 55386th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Masis surname appeared 371 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 Masis.

We can also compare 2010 data for Masis 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 55386 56120 -1.32%
Count 371 341 8.43%
Proportion per 100k 0.13 0.13 0.00%

The history of the last name Masis

The surname MASIS is of Armenian origin, and it is believed to have originated in the ancient region of Masik, located in the historical Armenian highlands. The name is derived from the Armenian word "masik," which means "moon" or "moonlight."

In the early medieval period, the name MASIS was associated with noble families and landowners from the Masik region. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in Armenian manuscripts and chronicles dating back to the 10th and 11th centuries.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname MASIS was Hovhannes Masis, a renowned Armenian scholar and theologian who lived in the 12th century. He authored several influential works on theology and philosophy, and his writings were widely studied in Armenian monastic centers.

Another significant individual with the surname MASIS was Khachen Masis, a prominent military leader who played a crucial role in the defense of Armenian territories against invading forces during the 13th century. His bravery and tactical skills were celebrated in Armenian epic poetry and folk tales.

In the 15th century, the name MASIS was also associated with the Armenian diaspora, as many individuals bearing this surname migrated to different parts of the Middle East and Europe due to political turmoil and persecution in their homeland.

One notable figure from this period was Petros Masis, an Armenian merchant and diplomat who served as an envoy for the Armenian community in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) during the reign of the Ottoman Empire.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname MASIS was also found among Armenian communities in various parts of Eastern Europe, particularly in present-day Poland, Ukraine, and Romania.

A notable example from this period is Sargis Masis, an Armenian cleric and scholar who lived in the 17th century and was renowned for his contributions to Armenian literature and education.

Throughout history, the surname MASIS has been closely tied to the Armenian cultural and intellectual heritage, and it has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, religious leaders, military figures, and merchants.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Masis

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

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 Masis was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 13.48% 50
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.00% 0
Hispanic Origin 85.44% 317

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 Masis has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 13.48% 15.84% -16.10%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races 0.00% 1.76% -200.00%
Hispanic 85.44% 82.11% 3.97%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Masis last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/masis-surname-popularity/.

"Masis last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/masis-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 December, 2024

Masis last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/masis-surname-popularity/.

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