2000
#146,011
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Matalone
A surname derived from the Italian town of Mataloni.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Matalone. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Matalone surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Matalone in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Matalone, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.8%) and Two or More Races (7.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Matalone
The surname Matalone originates from Italy, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Latin words "matus" and "lanugo," which together translate to "young wool." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals involved in the wool trade or textile industry.
During the Middle Ages, many Italian surnames emerged as a means of distinguishing families and individuals within the same region or town. The Matalone surname appears to have been prevalent in the southern regions of Italy, particularly in the areas around Naples and Calabria.
One of the earliest documented instances of the Matalone surname can be found in a medieval manuscript from the year 1187, which mentions a certain "Giovanni Matalone" as a merchant in the city of Salerno. This record provides evidence of the name's early existence and its potential connection to trade or commerce.
Throughout the centuries, the Matalone surname has undergone various spelling variations, including Mattalone, Mattaloni, and Mattalune. These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and the evolution of the Italian language over time.
In the 14th century, historical records indicate the presence of a noble family named Matalone in the city of Naples. One notable member of this family was Pietro Matalone, who lived between 1320 and 1392 and held a prominent position as a magistrate and advisor to the ruling monarchy.
During the Renaissance period, the name Matalone gained further recognition through the works of the Italian sculptor and architect, Antonio Matalone (1460-1528). His contributions to the architectural landscape of Naples and its surrounding areas earned him significant acclaim and solidified the Matalone name in the artistic and cultural spheres.
Another prominent figure bearing the Matalone surname was Giulia Matalone (1578-1649), a celebrated poetess and writer from Calabria. Her literary works, which explored themes of love, nature, and the human experience, earned her recognition throughout Italy and beyond.
In the 18th century, the Matalone family established a notable presence in the region of Puglia, where they owned vast estates and vineyards. Lorenzo Matalone (1712-1793) was a respected landowner and vintner, whose wines were renowned for their exceptional quality and gained popularity across Italy.
The Matalone surname has also been associated with several towns and villages in southern Italy, such as Matalone di Spinazzola in the province of Bari, and Matalone di Biccari in the province of Foggia. These place names suggest that the Matalone family may have held significant influence or ownership in these areas during various periods in history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Matalone
Among Census respondents with the surname Matalone, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.8%) and Two or More Races (7.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Matalone bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Matalone surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.6% · 93
- Hispanic or Latino8.8% · 10
- Two or more races7.0% · 8
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.6% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Matalone
Matalone appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#140,157
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+15 bearers (+14.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,854 places
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
-5 bearers (-4.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,338 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #146,011 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #140,157 | 119 | 0.04 | +15 bearers (+14.4%) | Up 5,854 places |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-4.2%) | Down 6,338 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Matalone surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #140,157 | #146,495 | -4.5% |
| Count | 119 | 114 | -4.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Matalone bearers went from 119 to 114 (-4.2% change). The surname moved down 6,338 positions in the national ranking, going from #140,157 to #146,495.
FAQ
Matalone surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Matalone?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Matalone. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Matalone?
Matalone ranks #146,495 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 114 people with the surname Matalone. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Matalone.
Has Matalone become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Matalone went from 119 recorded bearers to 114. That is a decrease of 5 (-4.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #140,157 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Matalone?
Among Census respondents with the surname Matalone, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.8%) and Two or More Races (7.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Matalone in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.6% (93 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Matalone appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (81.6%), Hispanic (8.8%), Two or More Races (7.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Matalone (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Matalone mean?
A surname derived from the Italian town of Mataloni. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Matalone (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Matalone?
Find out how many people are called Matalone on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.