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

Mataele, 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 Mataele surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mataele in America

Mataele is the 66164th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mataele surname appeared 299 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 Mataele.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mataele 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 Mataele

The surname MATAELE has its origins in the Samoan Islands, which are located in the South Pacific Ocean. It is believed to have originated sometime in the 16th or 17th century, when surnames were first adopted in the region.

The name MATAELE is derived from the Samoan words "mata," meaning "eye," and "ele," meaning "bright" or "shining." Together, the name can be interpreted as "bright eyes" or "shining eyes." This suggests that the name may have originally been a descriptive term or nickname given to someone with striking or piercing eyes.

There are no known historical references to the name MATAELE in ancient manuscripts or records, as written documentation in Samoa was limited until the arrival of Christian missionaries in the late 18th century. However, oral traditions and genealogies passed down through generations have preserved the name's existence.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MATAELE can be found in the genealogical records of the Samoan village of Safotu, where a chief named Mataele Fifita was documented as living in the late 18th century. Another notable figure was Mataele Maloata, a renowned orator and advisor to the Samoan paramount chief Malietoa Vainu'upō in the early 19th century.

In more recent history, Mataele Tangitua was a prominent Samoan leader who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Samoa in the 1950s and played a key role in the country's transition to independence. Additionally, Mataele Lesā was a talented Samoan artist and sculptor, known for his intricate woodcarvings and tapa cloth designs, who lived from 1920 to 2005.

Other individuals with the surname MATAELE who have left their mark include Mataele Iosefo, a respected Samoan educator and principal who dedicated his life to improving educational opportunities for Samoan youth, and Mataele Tanielu, a skilled navigator and fisherman who was celebrated for his knowledge of traditional Samoan seafaring techniques.

While the surname MATAELE is most closely associated with Samoa, it has also been adopted by individuals of Samoan descent living in other parts of the world, particularly in New Zealand, Australia, and the United States, where sizeable Samoan communities have established themselves.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mataele

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

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

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

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