Explore the Family Name Ma
The meaning of Ma
1. Chinese: Mandarin or Cantonese form of the surname 馬, which means ‘horse’: (i) from the first element of Mafu (馬服), the name of a fief (located in Handan in Hebei province) or an honorific title that was granted to Zhao She, a prince of the state of Zhao during the Warring States period (475–221 BC). The name Mafu (馬服) was later acquired as a surname and shortened to Ma (馬). (ii) from the adopted name of Xi-Li Ji’en (習禮吉恩), an official in the Jin dynasty (1115–1234 AD), who changed his original name to Ma Qingxiang (馬慶祥) when he moved from Central Asia to Lintao (in present-day Gansu province). (iii) from the adopted name of Yue Naihe (月乃和), a commander-in-chief in the late Jin dynasty, who changed his original name to Ma Zu Chang (馬祖常). (iv) this surname is also borne by Muslims of the Hui ethnic group, located mainly in northwestern China. 2. Chinese: Mandarin or Cantonese form of the surname 麻, which denotes a herbaceous plant such as hemp or flax: (i) from the placename Ma (麻), the name of a fief (located in Macheng in Hubei province) that was granted to an official of the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (ii) from the first element of the personal name of Ma Ying (麻婴), an official in the state of Qi (located mainly in present-day Shandong province) during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). 3. Korean: written 마, in Chinese characters 馬, meaning ‘horse’. There are actually two Chinese characters for the surname Ma, only one of which is frequent enough to be treated here. Two clans use the character 馬: the Mokch’ŏn clan and the Changhŭng clan. The character is borne by the descendants of Ma Ryŏ (馬 黎), who migrated to Korea from China during the Han Commanderies period (1st century bc) and attended King On Cho when he left Koguryŏ to found the Paekche Kingdom in 18 BC, and by the descendants of Ryŏ’s brother, Ma Shin (馬 信), who stayed behind in Koguryŏ. The Ma family disappears from the historical record after these events, but reappears during the reign of the Koryŏ king Chŏngjo (reigned 1776–1800 AD), when a high court official, Ma Sun-hŭng (馬 順興), was enfeoffed with Mokch’ŏn County in Ch’ungch’ŏng South Province. Mokch’ŏn became the clan seat of the Ma Family. Another clan seat appeared eleven generations later, when Ma Ch’ŏn-mok (馬 天牧) was enfeoffed with Changhŭng County. Compare Mah 2. 4. Burmese: from a form of address for a young woman, akin to English ‘miss’, used as part of the female name proper. — Note: Since Burmese do not have hereditary surnames, this name was registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US. 5. Cambodian: written ម៉ា, probably of Chinese origin, but unexplained etymology (compare above). It corresponds to the Khmer word borrowed from dialects of southern China (particularly Teochew, Hokkien, and Hakka), meaning ‘grandmother’. 6. Vietnamese (Mã): from the Chinese surname 馬, see 1 above. It is also found among the Cham people in southern Vietnam. Some characteristic forenames: Chinese Jian, Li, Hong, Hung, Wing, Wai, Wei, Ying, Ming, Ping, Chi, Cuong, Dong, Jin, Lan, Minh, Thanh, Lien, Trung, Binh, Hao, Phat, Quan, Quang. Korean Chung, Chang, Phong, Sha, Tam, Tian, Cho, Chong, Chul, Dae Yong, Eun Hee, In Sook. Vietnamese Cuong, Dong, Minh, Thanh, Lien, Trung, Binh, Phat, Quan, Quang.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ma in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname "Ma" has seen an increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 1726 in the most common surnames, while by 2010, it had risen to rank 1240, reflecting a 28.16% upward change. The count of individuals with this surname also grew significantly during this period, from 19,030 to 28,452, marking an impressive 49.51% rise. The proportion per 100,000 people similarly increased by 36.88% over the same decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,726 | #1,240 | 28.16% |
| Count | 19,030 | 28,452 | 49.51% |
| Proportion per 100k | 7.05 | 9.65 | 36.88% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ma
As for the ethnic identity associated with "Ma," the Decennial U.S. Census reveals that a significant majority identify as Asian/Pacific Islander, though there has been a slight decrease from 94.00% in 2000 to 93.51% in 2010. The percentage of those identifying with two or more races also decreased by 22.16%. However, other ethnic groups saw growth; the White population with the surname "Ma" grew by 26.86%, Hispanic by 15.79%, Black by 2.27%, and American Indian and Alaskan Native by 20.00%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 94% | 93.51% | -0.52% |
| White | 2.42% | 3.07% | 26.86% |
| Hispanic | 1.33% | 1.54% | 15.79% |
| Two or More Races | 1.76% | 1.37% | -22.16% |
| Black | 0.44% | 0.45% | 2.27% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.05% | 0.06% | 20% |
Ma ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Ma is Chinese, which comprises 79.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Manchurian & Mongolian (3.4%) and Vietnamese (3.3%). Additional ancestries include Korean, Chinese Dai, British & Irish, French & German, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 79.0% |
| Manchurian & Mongolian | 3.4% |
| Vietnamese | 3.3% |
| Other | 14.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Ma
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Ma have recent ancestry locations all within China.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Guangdong, China | 38.20% |
| Zhejiang, China | 37.60% |
| Fujian, China | 37.40% |
| Shandong, China | 37.30% |
| Shanghai, China | 37.20% |
What Ma haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Ma is O-F8, which is predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Haplogroup O-F8 is descended from haplogroup O-M1359. Other common haplogroups include O-F46 and O-Z23420, which are predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American and East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Li, Wong, Zhang, Wang, Wu, Huang, Sun, Xu, Chen, Chang.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Ma surname are: F1a1, D4, M7b. These most commonly trace back to individuals of East Asian & Indigenous American and European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins O-M1359
Your paternal lineage may be linked to the Han Chinese
Haplogroup O-Page23 has been found in several populations of the Han Chinese ethnic group. The ancestors of the Han, called the Huaxia, lived in the upriver basin of the Yellow River 5,000-6,000 years ago. As agricultural technology improved, the Huaxia spread east and south, and became the Han Chinese. Over the last 2,000 years, there have been three major migrations of the Han southward. The first of these migrations occurred during the Jin Dynasty from 317 to 420 CE, when nearly one million people moved south. A second migration occurred during the Tang Dynasty, after the An-Shi Rebellion, between 755 and 762 CE. The last migration occurred during the Southern Song Dynasty, from 1127 to 1297 CE, when nearly 5 million people migrated southward. The Pinghua, a branch of Han in which haplogroup O2a2b1a1 is particularly common, may be descendants of indigenous minority groups that adopted Han culture during one such major migration event.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to the Hmong-Mien
Haplogroup F is particularly common in populations of Hmong-Mien speakers, one of the major language families in East Asia. This group includes the Lahu, Hmong, Lao, and Mien of southern China and Southeast Asia. Many of these groups are considered ethnic minorities in their countries, including in China, Vietnam, and Thailand.During the Vietnam War, from 1953 to 1975, the United States Central Intelligence Agency recruited many of the Hmong, Lao, Mien, and Lahu to fight for American interests in Laos against the North Vietnamese and the Pathet Lao. When the North Vietnamese and Pathet Lao gained control of the region, members of the ethnic groups recruited by the US were targeted, forcing many of the Hmong-Mien to flee the country. Many refugees resettled in the United States, especially in California and along the western seaboard.
What do people with the surname Ma have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Ma" Surname 24.6%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Ma" Surname 22.4%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Ma" Surname 16.7%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Ma" Surname 6.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Ma?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Ma are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition