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

Maya, 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 Maya surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Maya in America

Maya is the 3466th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Maya surname appeared 10,313 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 Maya.

We can also compare 2010 data for Maya 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 Maya

The surname Maya originated in India, likely dating back to the 16th century or earlier. It is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word "maya," which means "illusion" or "magic." This name was likely given to individuals who were skilled in the arts of illusion or magic, or perhaps those who had a mystical or spiritual quality about them.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Maya surname can be found in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century document written during the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar. This text mentions several individuals with the Maya surname who held positions in the imperial court.

The Maya surname also appears in various historical texts and records from different regions of India, such as the Rajputana and Maharashtra areas. Some notable individuals with this surname include:

1. Maya Danava, a powerful asura (demon) mentioned in Hindu mythology, who is said to have battled against the gods.
2. Maya Singh (1932-2001), an Indian politician and social activist who served as a member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of India's parliament.
3. Maya Nair (1924-2012), an Indian classical dancer and choreographer who was awarded the Padma Bhushan, one of India's highest civilian honors, for her contributions to the arts.
4. Maya Krishna Rao (1924-2013), an Indian writer and translator who was known for her works in Kannada and English literature.
5. Maya Angelou (1928-2014), an American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist who is widely celebrated for her literary works, including "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings."

It's worth noting that while the Maya surname has its roots in India, it has also been adopted by individuals from various ethnic and cultural backgrounds around the world, particularly in regions with historical ties to Indian culture and migration.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Maya

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

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

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

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