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

Mayta, 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 Mayta surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mayta in America

Mayta is the 104156th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mayta surname appeared 172 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 Mayta.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mayta 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 Mayta

The surname Mayta is believed to have originated in Peru, derived from the Quechua word "mayta," which means "where" or "where from." This suggests that the name may have been used to distinguish individuals who came from a particular place or region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mayta can be found in the chronicles of the Spanish conquistadors during the 16th century. It is mentioned in the writings of Pedro Cieza de León, a Spanish soldier and chronicler who documented the conquest of Peru.

During the colonial period in Peru, the name Mayta was often associated with indigenous communities located in the central Andean regions. Records from the 17th and 18th centuries reveal individuals with the surname Mayta residing in areas such as Cusco, Apurímac, and Ayacucho.

In the 19th century, a notable figure bearing the surname Mayta was José María Mayta, a Peruvian military officer and politician born in 1818 in Cusco. He played a significant role in the Peruvian Civil War of 1844-1845 and later served as the President of Peru for a brief period in 1876.

Another prominent individual with the surname Mayta was Domingo Mayta, a Peruvian writer and journalist born in 1890 in Arequipa. He is known for his contributions to the literary movement called "Indigenismo," which aimed to portray the lives and struggles of indigenous communities.

In the early 20th century, the surname Mayta also appeared in regions outside of Peru. For instance, Ramón Mayta, a Chilean painter born in 1911 in Antofagasta, gained recognition for his landscape and portrait works reflecting the culture and traditions of the Atacama Desert region.

It is worth noting that the name Mayta has also been associated with fictional characters, such as the protagonist Mayta in Mario Vargas Llosa's novel "Historia de Mayta" (The Story of Mayta), published in 1984. This work explores themes of revolution and political upheaval in Peru.

While the surname Mayta is most prevalent in Peru and other parts of South America, it has also been found in smaller numbers in other countries, possibly due to migration and cultural exchange. However, its roots can be traced back to the indigenous communities of the Peruvian Andes, where the name originated and held significant meaning.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mayta

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

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

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

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