2000
#6,733
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,617
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.71
Rare Last name
Maze
An English occupational surname for a harvester or reaper of corn, derived from the Old English "mæd".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,020 Americans carry the last name Maze. That puts it at #7,337 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.46 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 68,278 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Maze 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 Maze with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.0K
1 in 68,278
Census rank
#7,337
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,378 bearers of the surname Maze in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.46 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7337th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Maze, the largest self-reported group is White at 74.5%. The next largest groups are Black (15.9%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Maze
The surname "MAZE" originates from England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "maese," meaning "meadow" or "pasture." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or owned a meadow.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled "Mace." This document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, was a survey of land and resources in England and provides valuable insight into the names and locations of people during that time.
As the name evolved, it took on various spellings, such as "Mays," "Mayes," and "Mase," before settling on the modern spelling of "MAZE." These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of individuals or scribes who recorded the names.
In the 13th century, the name "MAZE" appeared in several historical records, including the Curia Regis Rolls of 1216, which documented legal proceedings in England. This suggests that the name was well-established and had spread throughout different regions of the country by that time.
One notable bearer of the name was Sir John Maze (c. 1350-1419), a prominent English landowner and military commander during the Hundred Years' War. He served under King Henry V and participated in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, where the English achieved a remarkable victory against the French.
Another individual of note was Thomas Maze (1529-1589), an English churchman who served as the Bishop of Ely from 1581 until his death. He was known for his support of Protestant reforms during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
In the 17th century, the name "MAZE" was associated with several place names in England, such as Maze Hill in London and Maze Pond in Southwark. These locations may have been named after individuals with the surname or could have influenced the surname's development.
John Maze (1683-1744) was a notable English architect and surveyor who is credited with designing several churches and public buildings in London, including St. Mary's Church in Whitechapel.
During the 19th century, the name "MAZE" gained prominence in other parts of the world, including the United States. One example is Samuel Maze (1804-1878), an American Methodist minister and educator who served as the president of several educational institutions, including Indiana Asbury University (now DePauw University).
Overall, the surname "MAZE" has a rich history that spans centuries and reflects the linguistic and cultural diversity of England. Its evolution and spread across different regions and continents demonstrate the enduring legacy of this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Maze
Among Census respondents with the surname Maze, the largest self-reported group is White at 74.5%. The next largest groups are Black (15.9%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Maze 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 Maze surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White74.5% · 3,263
- Black or African American15.9% · 697
- Two or more races4.4% · 194
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 159
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 35
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 30
Timeline
Historical Census data for Maze
Maze 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
#7,059
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,742
+125 bearers (+2.7%)
Per 100,000 1.61
Rank movement Down 326 places
2020
#7,337
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,378
-364 bearers (-7.7%)
Per 100,000 1.46
Rank movement Down 278 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,733 | 4,617 | 1.71 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,059 | 4,742 | 1.61 | +125 bearers (+2.7%) | Down 326 places |
| 2020 | #7,337 | 4,378 | 1.46 | -364 bearers (-7.7%) | Down 278 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 Maze 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 | #7,059 | #7,337 | -3.9% |
| Count | 4,742 | 4,378 | -7.7% |
| Per 100K | 1.61 | 1.46 | -9.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Maze bearers went from 4,742 to 4,378 (-7.7% change). The surname moved down 278 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,059 to #7,337.
FAQ
Maze surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Maze?
Name Census estimates that about 5,020 living Americans carry the surname Maze. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 68,278 residents.
How common is Maze?
Maze ranks #7,337 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.46 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,378 people with the surname Maze. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,020), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.46 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.46 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Maze.
Has Maze become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Maze went from 4,742 recorded bearers to 4,378. That is a decrease of 364 (-7.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,059 to #7,337.
What does the Census say about the background of Maze?
Among Census respondents with the surname Maze, the largest self-reported group is White at 74.5%. The next largest groups are Black (15.9%) and Two or More Races (4.4%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Maze in the 2020 Census, accounting for 74.5% (3,263 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Maze appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (74.5%), Black (15.9%), Two or More Races (4.4%). 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 Maze (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 Maze mean?
An English occupational surname for a harvester or reaper of corn, derived from the Old English "mæd". 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 Maze (1.46 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 last name Maze?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans have the surname Maze at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.