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

Matallana, 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 Matallana surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Matallana in America

Matallana is the 59017th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Matallana surname appeared 343 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 Matallana.

We can also compare 2010 data for Matallana 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 Matallana

The surname Matallana is of Spanish origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval period in Spain. It is believed to have originated from a place name, most likely referring to a small town or village in the region of Castile and León.

One of the earliest known references to this surname can be found in the "Becerro de las Behetrías de Castilla," a historical document compiled in the 14th century during the reign of King Pedro I of Castile. This document recorded the names of landowners and their territories, suggesting that the Matallana family may have held property or influence in the area.

The surname Matallana is derived from the Spanish word "mata," which means shrub or bush, and "llana," meaning plain or flat land. This combination could indicate that the name was originally associated with a settlement located on a flat, shrub-covered terrain.

In the 15th century, records show a notable figure named Juan de Matallana, a nobleman and military commander who served under King Juan II of Castile. He played a significant role in the conflicts against the Kingdom of Aragon during the latter part of his reign.

Another prominent individual bearing this surname was Francisco de Matallana, a Spanish explorer and conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés during the conquest of Mexico in the early 16th century. He is said to have participated in several battles and expeditions, contributing to the establishment of Spanish rule in the region.

During the 17th century, a religious figure named María de Matallana gained recognition for her piety and devotion. Born in Valladolid, Spain, she lived a life of asceticism and is believed to have performed numerous charitable works, earning her a reputation for saintliness within her community.

In the realm of literature, a notable figure was Martín de Matallana, a Spanish poet and playwright who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. His works, though not widely known today, were celebrated during his time for their lyrical quality and theatrical flair.

While the surname Matallana has its origins in Spain, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly to Latin American countries, as a result of Spanish colonization and migration. However, its historical ties remain firmly rooted in the medieval and Renaissance periods of the Iberian Peninsula.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Matallana

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

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!