Maria History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Italy
Spain

Etymology of Maria

What does the name Maria mean?

The name is Biblical in origin, coming from the Virgin Mary. The fact that the prefixes "De" and "Di" are often added to it suggest that it could be metronymic, that is, a surname originally derived from the name of the first bearer's mother, and meaning "son of Maria." This is rare in Italian names, generally such names were taken from the name of the father (patronymics). In some cases the children of widows or the illegitimate children of noblemen's mistresses took the mother's name for their surname.

Early Origins of the Maria family

The surname Maria was first found in Genoa (Italian: Genova), and elsewhere throughout Italy. As surnames began to come in to usage in Italy, this name emerged independently in different parts of the peninsula.

Early History of the Maria family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Maria research. Another 146 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1450, 1489, 1503, 1609, 1623, 1654, 1665, 1669 and 1690 are included under the topic Early Maria History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Maria Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Maria, De Maria, Demaria, Di Maria, Mari and others.

Early Notables of the Maria family

Prominent among bearers of this family in early times was

Francesco di Maria (1623-1690), an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active mainly in Naples

Maria Ranking

In the United States, the name Maria is the 9,311^st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Maria is ranked the 2,121^st most popular surname with an estimated 2,987 people with that name. 2

Maria migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Maria Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Widow Maria, who arrived in New York in 1709 3
Anna Maria, who arrived in New York in 1709 3
Magdalena Maria, who arrived in New York, NY in 1709 3
Barbara Maria, who arrived in New York in 1709 3
Magdleena Maria, who landed in New York in 1709 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Maria Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Pedro Maria, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1816 3
I F Maria, aged 30, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1829 3
Juan Maria, aged 34, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1829 3
Gregorio Maria, aged 25, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1836 3
Jos Maria, aged 17, who arrived in Key West, Fla in 1837 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Maria (post 1700) +

Glória Maria Matta da Silva (1949-2023), Brazilian journalist, reporter, and television host, considered to be the first television reporter and TV host of African descent to achieve national success in Brazil
Hannah Maria Hagler, American actress, known for Hair-Trigger (2022), These Voyages Unknown (2021) and Major Robinson (2020)
Petra Maria Laseur (1939-2025), Dutch theatre and film actress who appeared in more than thirty films beginning in 1960
Ana Maria Guerreiro Dias (b. 1974), Portuguese long-distance and marathon runner
Josep Maria Trigo Rodríguez (b. 1970), Spanish astronomer, astrophysicist and science writer whose work focuses on the early development of the Solar System, cofounder of the Spanish Meteor Network
Carolyn Maria Oliver (1921-2006), née Morse, American private in the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, first all-female, all-African-American battalion to server overseas
Paolo Maria Abbiati, Italian engraver whose name occurs on a portrait of Girolamo Cornaro, procurator of St. Mark's in Venice
Antonio Maria Abbatini (1609-1677), Italian composer, active mainly in Rome
Roslyn Maria Abrams (b. 1948), American former television news journalist
Anna Maria Farias (b. 1952), American lawyer and government official

Sources +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)