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

Matias, 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 Matias surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Matias in America

Matias is the 3091st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Matias surname appeared 11,635 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Matias.

We can also compare 2010 data for Matias 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 Matias

The surname Matias has its roots in the Iberian Peninsula, particularly in Spain and Portugal. It is believed to have originated from the Latin name Matthias, which means "gift of God" or "given by God." The name gained popularity during the Middle Ages, especially among those with Jewish or Moorish ancestry.

In Spain, the surname Matias can be traced back to the 12th century, when it was commonly found in regions like Andalusia and Castile. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is in the Repartimiento de Sevilla, a document from 1253 that lists the distribution of land and properties after the Reconquista of Seville.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the Matias surname began to spread across Europe and the Americas as a result of Spanish and Portuguese exploration and colonization. Notable individuals with this surname include Juan Matias, a Spanish painter from the 16th century, and Andrés Matias Burroughs (1528-1592), a Spanish navigator and explorer who accompanied Sir Francis Drake on his famous voyage around the world.

In Portugal, the Matias surname can be traced back to the 13th century, particularly in the northern regions of the country. One of the earliest recorded instances is in the Livro Velhos de Linhagens, an ancient Portuguese genealogical record, which mentions a nobleman named Martim Matias who lived in the late 12th century.

As the Portuguese empire expanded, the Matias surname was carried to various parts of the world, including Brazil, Africa, and Asia. One notable figure was Sebastião Matias Pereira (1634-1688), a Portuguese explorer and navigator who played a significant role in the exploration of the Amazon River basin.

In the Netherlands, the Matias surname can be traced back to the 17th century, particularly in the regions of Friesland and Groningen. One of the earliest recorded instances is in the Fries Archief, which mentions a merchant named Dirck Matias who lived in Leeuwarden in the 1650s.

Throughout history, the Matias surname has been associated with various professions and social classes, ranging from noblemen and explorers to artisans and merchants. Some notable individuals with this surname include Antonio Matias (1775-1847), a Spanish painter and engraver; Juan Matias de Lecumberri (1752-1809), a Spanish naval officer and explorer; and Matias Sandorf (1837-1869), a Hungarian revolutionary and fictional character created by Jules Verne.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Matias

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

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

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

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