Explore the Family Name Matamoros
The meaning of Matamoros
Spanish: from Matamoros meaning ‘killer of Moors’, a title given to Spain’s patron saint, Saint James, in the Middle Ages (from matar ‘to kill’ + moros ‘Moors’). According to legend, the saint appeared to a 9th-century Spanish king during a battle, and enabled him to massacre 60,000 Saracens. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Jose, Andres, Aurelio, Juan, Luis, Manuel, Mario, Carlos, Gustavo, Miguel, Rafael, Raul.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Matamoros in the United States?
According to data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Matamoros has seen a rise in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked as the 11,035th most common surname, but by 2010, it had risen to 8,206th place--a change of 25.64%. In terms of raw counts, people bearing the surname Matamoros increased from 2,643 in 2000 to 4,044 in 2010, representing a significant growth of 53.01%. The proportion of individuals with the surname per 100,000 also saw a substantial increase from 0.98 to 1.37.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #11,035 | #8,206 | 25.64% |
| Count | 2,643 | 4,044 | 53.01% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.98 | 1.37 | 39.8% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Matamoros
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Matamoros also shifted slightly between 2000 and 2010 based on the Decennial U.S. Census. The majority of bearers of the surname identified as Hispanic—93.30% in 2000 and a slight increase to 93.64% in 2010. Meanwhile, those identifying as White decreased from 5.18% to 4.77%, and those identifying as two or more races decreased from 0.61% to 0.20%. There was an increase in bearers who identified as Black, moving from 0.53% to 0.84%. New entries in 2010 included those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native at 0.32% and 0.22% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 93.3% | 93.64% | 0.36% |
| White | 5.18% | 4.77% | -7.92% |
| Black | 0.53% | 0.84% | 58.49% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.32% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.22% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0.61% | 0.2% | -67.21% |