2000
#125,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Matla
A topographic surname indicating someone living near or from the river Mat.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Matla. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Matla 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
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Matla in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Matla, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.8%) and Black (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Matla
The surname MATLA is believed to have its origins in the Indian subcontinent, with the earliest known references dating back to the 14th century. Some scholars suggest that the name may be derived from the Sanskrit word "matla," meaning "mud" or "clay," potentially indicating a connection to occupations involving pottery or brickmaking.
In the late 15th century, records from the Mughal Empire mention individuals with the surname MATLA residing in the northern regions of present-day India and Pakistan. It is believed that some members of the MATLA family were artisans or craftsmen who specialized in ceramics and pottery.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the MATLA surname can be found in various court records and administrative documents from the Mughal era. Notable individuals from this period include Malik MATLA, a respected potter from the city of Agra, who was commissioned to create intricate ceramic tiles for the Taj Mahal in the mid-17th century.
As the Mughal Empire expanded, some members of the MATLA family migrated to other parts of South Asia, carrying their surname with them. In the 18th century, there are records of a MATLA family residing in the region of Bengal, where they worked as potters and clay artisans.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the MATLA surname in literary works can be found in the poetry of Mirza Ghalib, a renowned Urdu poet from the 19th century. In one of his couplets, Ghalib mentions a "MATLA" as a skilled potter whose creations were highly prized.
Other notable individuals with the surname MATLA include Rani MATLA, a prominent female potter from the city of Jaipur in the late 19th century, whose intricate ceramic works were sought after by royal patrons. Sardar MATLA, a respected teacher and educator from Punjab, was born in 1875 and played a significant role in promoting education in the region.
In the early 20th century, Govind MATLA, a celebrated ceramist from Gujarat, gained recognition for his innovative techniques and designs, contributing to the revival of traditional pottery in India. His works were exhibited at various national and international exhibitions, earning him several accolades.
Throughout its history, the surname MATLA has maintained a strong connection with the art of pottery and ceramics, reflecting the rich cultural heritage and craftsmanship of the Indian subcontinent.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Matla
Among Census respondents with the surname Matla, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.8%) and Black (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Matla 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 Matla surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.4% · 97
- Hispanic or Latino4.8% · 5
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
- Two or more races1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Matla
Matla 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
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-18 bearers (-14.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 25,893 places
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-3 bearers (-2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,457 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #125,639 | 126 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | -18 bearers (-14.3%) | Down 25,893 places |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | -3 bearers (-2.8%) | Down 1,457 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 Matla 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 | #151,532 | #152,989 | -1.0% |
| Count | 108 | 105 | -2.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Matla bearers went from 108 to 105 (-2.8% change). The surname moved down 1,457 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #152,989.
FAQ
Matla surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Matla?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Matla. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Matla?
Matla ranks #152,989 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 105 people with the surname Matla. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), 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 Matla.
Has Matla become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Matla went from 108 recorded bearers to 105. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #151,532 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Matla?
Among Census respondents with the surname Matla, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.8%) and Black (1.0%). 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 Matla in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.4% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Matla appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.4%), Hispanic (4.8%), Black (1.0%). 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 Matla (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 Matla mean?
A topographic surname indicating someone living near or from the river Mat. 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 Matla (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 Matla?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Matla is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.