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

Mayan, 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 Mayan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mayan in America

Mayan is the 62359th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mayan surname appeared 321 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 Mayan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mayan 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 Mayan

The surname Mayan is believed to have originated in Mexico, where it is closely tied to the ancient Mayan civilization that thrived in the regions of modern-day Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and parts of Honduras and El Salvador. The name is derived from the word "Maya," which refers to the indigenous people and their language.

The Mayan civilization was one of the most advanced and influential cultures in the Americas, renowned for their achievements in mathematics, astronomy, architecture, and the development of a sophisticated writing system. The earliest recorded examples of the surname Mayan can be traced back to the 16th century, when Spanish conquistadors and missionaries encountered the Maya people during their exploration and conquest of the region.

Historical records from this period, such as chronicles written by Spanish friars and officials, often mention individuals with the surname Mayan or variations of it, like Mayán or Mayani. These records provide valuable insights into the lives and interactions between the Spanish and the Maya people during the colonial era.

One notable historical figure with the surname Mayan was Diego de Landa Calderón (1524-1579), a Spanish friar and bishop who played a significant role in the Spanish conquest of the Yucatán Peninsula. His writings, particularly the "Relación de las cosas de Yucatán" (Account of the Things of Yucatan), provide important information about the Mayan culture, religion, and language.

Another prominent individual with the surname Mayan was Juan Pío Pérez Mayan (1803-1869), a Yucatecan writer, linguist, and historian who dedicated his life to studying and preserving the Mayan language and culture. His works, including "Crónica de Mérida" (Chronicle of Merida) and "Diccionario Maya-Español" (Maya-Spanish Dictionary), are invaluable resources for understanding the Mayan heritage.

In the realm of archaeology, one notable figure was J. Eric S. Thompson (1898-1975), an American scholar and writer who made significant contributions to the study of Mayan hieroglyphics and the decipherment of Mayan inscriptions. His book "Maya Hieroglyphic Writing" was a groundbreaking work in the field.

Sylvanus Griswold Morley (1883-1948), an American archaeologist and epigrapher, was another prominent figure associated with the study of the Mayan civilization. He is renowned for his work on the Mayan calendar and the decipherment of Mayan inscriptions, including his seminal book "The Ancient Maya."

Lastly, Linda Schele (1942-1998), an American art historian and epigrapher, made significant contributions to the understanding of Mayan art, iconography, and hieroglyphic writing. Her collaborative work with David Freidel, "A Forest of Kings," is considered a landmark in the study of Mayan civilization.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mayan

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

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

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

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