 Some argue that Macías originates from the Spanish version of the Hebraic term for the Messiah, while others hold that Macías (pronounced within Spain) actually is the Spanish version of the Biblical name, Matias or Matthew.Given that the Sephardim used surnames that were in many cases identical to those of their Gentile neighbors, it can be reasoned that certain Macías members were Sephardi without the surname Macias being exclusively Sephardi.According to John Woodward (with reference to the Heraldic coat of arms)