Surname · Chinese origin
Ma
Meaning
The surname Ma means Horse (馬).
Origin
Chinese
Type
clan name
U.S. rank (2010)
#1,726
U.S. bearers (2010)
19,030
How common is it?
Ma ranks #1,726 among U.S. surnames (2010 U.S. Census), recorded for about 19,030 people.
The origin of the surname Ma
Ma is the character 馬, “horse.”
How Chinese surnames work
Chinese surnames — the “family name” — come first, before the given name, and a relatively small set of names is shared by enormous numbers of people (Wang, Li and Zhang are among the most common surnames on earth). Each is written with a single Chinese character carrying its own meaning, and many trace back thousands of years to ancient clans, states, noble titles or places. The character is the surname, so its meaning is fixed by the specific hanzi.
Frequently asked questions
What does the surname Ma mean?
The surname Ma means Horse (馬). Ma is the character 馬, “horse.”
Where does the surname Ma come from?
Ma is a surname of Chinese origin.
What kind of surname is Ma?
Ma is a clan name surname.
How common is the surname Ma in the United States?
Ma ranks #1,726 among U.S. surnames (2010 U.S. Census), recorded for about 19,030 people.