Show ContentsMaldonado History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

There are two different opinions about the origin of the surname. Firstly, the Maldonado surname could be derived from the Spanish "mal donado," meaning 'ill-favored," and was no doubt originally a nickname that was adopted as a surname. Nicknames often reflected the physical characteristics or attributes of the first person that used the name.

Secondly, some speculate this surname is of patronymic origin, that is, it belongs to those surnames derived from the name of the father of its original bearer. In this instance Maldonado would be the Spanish form of the Irish and Scottish surname "Macdonald", which means "son of Donald". During the eighteenth century and due to the persecutions suffered by the Catholics in Ireland, many of them emigrated to Spain and Portugal. In Spain they settled down mostly in the Basque Country, and in Catalonia.

Today, the name Maldonado can be found all over Spain and the American continent. The old spelling of the surname Maldonado was Maldoado. A family of this surname were descendants of the Lord of Aldana.

Early Origins of the Maldonado family

The surname Maldonado was first found in Galicia, Spain, prominent among the Christian kingdoms of medieval Spain. Nuño Pérez Fernández Maldonado (c. 1150-1215), born in the Church of Santa Maria, Maderuelo, Spain is considered to be the progenitor of the family. He was the 2nd Lord of Maldonado as his father was Pedro Arias de Aldao (1105-1150), born in Galicia, Spain, XII Señor de Aldao. He lived in the reign of D. Fernando II of León and was his Chief Steward and also served King D. Sancho III of Castile, who gave him the government of Madrid and Toledo.

Early History of the Maldonado family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Maldonado research. Another 100 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1158 and 1214 are included under the topic Early Maldonado History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Maldonado Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Maldonado, de Maldonado, Maledonado, de Maledonado, Maldolado and many more.

Early Notables of the Maldonado family

Notable bearers of the family name Maldonado

  • were sixteenth century Spanish military officer Francisco Maldonado
  • sixteenth century writer Juan Maldonado
  • eighteenth century Spanish politician and geographer Pedro Vicente Maldonado, who became Governor of Esmeralda in Ecuador, and made many maps of Ecuador during his time there

Maldonado World Ranking

In the United States, the name Maldonado is the 387th most popular surname with an estimated 72,123 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Maldonado is ranked the 7,246th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 2 And in South America, the name Maldonado is the 100th popular surname with an estimated 47 people with that name. 3


Maldonado migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Maldonado Settlers in United States in the 16th Century
  • Francisco Maldonado Dorado del Hierro, who journeyed to America in 1523
  • Andrés Maldonado, who sailed to America in 1528
  • Gonzalo Maldonado, who sailed to Peru in 1534
  • Pedro Maldonado, who sailed to Peru in 1534
  • Alonso Maldonado, who sailed to Cartagena in 1535
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Maldonado Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Alonso Maldonado, who landed in America in 1811 4
  • Andres Maldonado, who arrived in America in 1828 4
  • Blas Maldonado, who landed in America in 1828 4
  • Diego Maldonado, who arrived in America in 1828 4
  • Gutierre Maldonado, who landed in America in 1828 4
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Maldonado (post 1700) +

  • Abel Maldonado (b. 1967), American politician, the 48th Lieutenant Governor of California
  • Pedro Maldonado, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Puerto Rico, 2004 5
  • Myrna Maldonado, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Indiana, 2008 5
  • Miguel Maldonado, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Puerto Rico, 2008 5
  • Leonard Maldonado, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Alabama, 2008 5
  • Juan J. Maldonado, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Texas, 2000, 2004, 2008 5
  • Hector Maldonado, American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for U.S. Senator from Missouri, 2012 5
  • Diana Maldonado, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Texas State House of Representatives 52nd District; Elected 2008; Defeated, 2010 5
  • Daniel Q. Maldonado, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from California, 1972 5
  • Cecilio Maldonado, American Republican politician, Candidate for Michigan State House of Representatives 35th District, 1998 5
  • ... (Another 14 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

USS Indianapolis
  • Salvador Maldonado (1922-2013), American crew member on board the ship "USS Indianapolis" when she was on a top secret trip for the first nuclear weapon, she was sunk by Japanese Navy on 30th July 1945, he survived the sinking 6


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  3. "List of most common surnames in South America." Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_common_surnames_in_South_America
  4. 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)
  5. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  6. Final Crew List, retrieved 2021, October 30th Retrieved from https://www.ussindianapolis.com/final-crew


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