2000
#4,520
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,227
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.68
Uncommon Last name
Maya
A surname of Hebrew origin meaning "water" or "spring," or a Sanskrit name meaning "illusion."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 11,193 Americans carry the last name Maya. That puts it at #3,563 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.27 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 30,622 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Maya surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Maya with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
11K
1 in 30,622
Census rank
#3,563
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
9.8K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 9,761 bearers of the surname Maya in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.27 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3563rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Maya, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 88.4%. The next largest groups are White (8.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Maya
Among Census respondents with the surname Maya, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 88.4%. The next largest groups are White (8.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Maya bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Maya surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino88.4% · 8,630
- White8.0% · 780
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 185
- Black or African American1.0% · 98
- Two or more races0.4% · 38
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 30
Timeline
Historical Census data for Maya
Maya appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#3,466
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,313
+3,086 bearers (+42.7%)
Per 100,000 3.50
Rank movement Up 1,054 places
2020
#3,563
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,761
-552 bearers (-5.4%)
Per 100,000 3.27
Rank movement Down 97 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #4,520 | 7,227 | 2.68 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,466 | 10,313 | 3.50 | +3,086 bearers (+42.7%) | Up 1,054 places |
| 2020 | #3,563 | 9,761 | 3.27 | -552 bearers (-5.4%) | Down 97 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Maya surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,466 | #3,563 | -2.8% |
| Count | 10,313 | 9,761 | -5.4% |
| Per 100K | 3.50 | 3.27 | -6.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Maya bearers went from 10,313 to 9,761 (-5.4% change). The surname moved down 97 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,466 to #3,563.
FAQ
Maya surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Maya?
Name Census estimates that about 11,193 living Americans carry the surname Maya. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 30,622 residents.
How common is Maya?
Maya ranks #3,563 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.27 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 9,761 people with the surname Maya. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (11,193), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.27 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.27 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Maya.
Has Maya become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Maya went from 10,313 recorded bearers to 9,761. That is a decrease of 552 (-5.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #3,466 to #3,563.
What does the Census say about the background of Maya?
Among Census respondents with the surname Maya, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 88.4%. The next largest groups are White (8.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Maya in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.4% (8,630 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Maya appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (88.4%), White (8.0%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Maya (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Maya mean?
A surname of Hebrew origin meaning "water" or "spring," or a Sanskrit name meaning "illusion." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Maya (3.27 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Maya?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.