Macias
A surname of several likely origins, most often linked to Iberian patronymic forms and sometimes to the Biblical name Matthias/Matthew.
The #538 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 4,962 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Macias is found in Iberian records in several old spellings, including Machias and Mazias, and one traditional explanation connects it with a patronymic formation from a medieval personal name in Galicia. In broader Spanish surname tradition, it is also associated with the personal name Macías, which is commonly treated as a form ultimately related to Matthias, meaning “gift of the Lord.” Because the historical material is mixed, the surname may reflect more than one path of formation in different families.
History
Macias appears in medieval Iberian documentation, especially in Galicia, where early spellings vary noticeably. Later usage spread widely in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking regions, and the name is now common in the Americas through migration from Spain and the Iberian diaspora. The same spelling can represent unrelated family lines, so genealogical origins may differ by branch.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The surname’s spelling was historically unstable enough that medieval records preserved forms like Machias and Mazias for what may be the same family name.
From the historical record
“Macias. MaAcIs. Corteza sutil i olorosa de la nuez mos- cada. Machado. Hacha para cortar madera. Machado. Hato de machos cabríos. Necedad.”
— Diccionario de los apellidos