Explore the Family Name Maes
The meaning of Maes
1. Flemish and Dutch: variant of Maas. The surname of Flemish origin is also common in the Walloon part of Belgium and in France (Nord and Pas-de-Calais). 2. Spanish: probably a variant of Maese. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Jose, Juan, Manuel, Margarito, Alfonso, Basilio, Eloy, Emilia, Miguel, Ruben, Adolfo, Agapito. French Alphonse, Remy, Raoul, Alain, Andre, Cecile, Jacques, Luc, Marcel, Michel, Monique, Yolaine.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Maes in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Maes has seen a slight dip in its popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 5644th most popular surname in the United States with 5640 individuals bearing the name. By 2010, although there was an increase in the number of individuals sporting the Maes surname to 6033, it slipped to the 5746th rank. This represents a decline in popularity by 1.81 percent, despite the count increasing by 6.97 percent. Even the proportion of individuals with the Maes surname per 100,000 people saw a slight decrease from 2.09 to 2.05, indicating a reduced prevalence.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,644 | #5,746 | -1.81% |
| Count | 5,640 | 6,033 | 6.97% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.09 | 2.05 | -1.91% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Maes
Turning to the ethnic identity associated with the Maes surname, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that a majority of individuals identified as Hispanic - about 58.49 percent in 2000 and 58.64 percent in 2010. The second largest group was those who identified as White, with the percentage slightly increasing from 37.87 percent in 2000 to 38.27 percent in 2010. The percentage of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander remained relatively stable at around 0.66-0.68 percent. There was however a notable decrease in the percentages of individuals identifying as having two or more races, American Indian and Alaskan Native, and Black. The most significant decrease was observed in those identifying with two or more races, dropping from 1.01 percent in 2000 to 0.75 percent in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 58.49% | 58.64% | 0.26% |
| White | 37.87% | 38.27% | 1.06% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.26% | 0.98% | -22.22% |
| Two or More Races | 1.01% | 0.75% | -25.74% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.66% | 0.68% | 3.03% |
| Black | 0.71% | 0.68% | -4.23% |
Maes 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 Maes is French & German, which comprises 25.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Spanish & Portuguese (22.1%) and British & Irish (22.1%). Additional ancestries include Indigenous American, Eastern European, Italian, Scandinavian, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| French & German | 25.0% |
| Spanish & Portuguese | 22.1% |
| British & Irish | 22.1% |
| Other | 30.9% |
Possible origins of the surname Maes
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 Maes have recent ancestry locations all within Mexico.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Veracruz, Mexico | 50.00% |
| Jalisco, Mexico | 50.00% |
| Michoacan, Mexico | 50.00% |
| Nayarit, Mexico | 50.00% |
| Nuevo Leon, Mexico | 50.00% |
What Maes 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 Maes is E-M183, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup E-M183 is descended from haplogroup E-M96. Other common haplogroups include R-L48 and R-Z209, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Alaniz, Durden, Penner, Neighbors, Benavides, Arango, Lines, Clegg, Line, Gambino.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Maes surname are: A2, H1, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins E-M96Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Maes 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.
"Maes" Surname 31.0%
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.
"Maes" Surname 42.9%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Maes" Surname 22.2%
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.
"Maes" Surname 19.1%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Maes?
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 Maes are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition