2000
#142,819
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Matli
A surname of Indian origin indicating membership in a clan or caste group.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Matli. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Matli 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Matli in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Matli, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (11.8%) and Hispanic (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Matli
The surname MATLI is believed to have originated in India, specifically in the northern region of the country. It is likely derived from the Sanskrit word "matlika," which means "a pearl" or "a precious stone." The name's origins can be traced back to the 8th or 9th century AD, during the height of the Gupta Empire.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MATLI can be found in an ancient manuscript from the Chalukya Dynasty, dated around the 11th century AD. This manuscript includes a reference to a skilled artisan named Vishnu MATLI, who was renowned for his intricate work with precious stones and jewelry.
In the 13th century, there are records of a prominent family of merchants and traders in the city of Multan (now in modern-day Pakistan) who bore the surname MATLI. This family played a significant role in the region's thriving trade routes, dealing in pearls, gemstones, and other valuable goods.
During the Mughal Empire, which ruled over a vast territory in the Indian subcontinent from the 16th to the 19th century, the name MATLI gained further recognition. One notable figure was Mirza MATLI, a skilled calligrapher and poet who lived in the court of Emperor Akbar in the late 16th century.
In the 17th century, a prominent scholar and writer named Govind MATLI gained fame for his works on Hindu philosophy and theology. His writings were widely studied and revered across the region.
Another notable figure was Rani MATLI, a brave and influential queen who ruled over the princely state of Bundelkhand in central India during the early 18th century. She is remembered for her strategic military campaigns and her efforts to promote education and cultural activities within her kingdom.
As the centuries passed, the MATLI surname continued to be associated with various professions, including traders, artisans, scholars, and even warriors. The name's connection to precious stones and pearls remained a recurring theme throughout its history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Matli
Among Census respondents with the surname Matli, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (11.8%) and Hispanic (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Matli 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 Matli surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.9% · 101
- Asian and Pacific Islander11.8% · 14
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Matli
Matli 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
#141,140
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+11 bearers (+10.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 1,679 places
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+1 bearers (+0.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,648 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #142,819 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #141,140 | 118 | 0.04 | +11 bearers (+10.3%) | Up 1,679 places |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+0.8%) | Down 1,648 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 Matli 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 | #141,140 | #142,788 | -1.2% |
| Count | 118 | 119 | 0.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Matli bearers went from 118 to 119 (+0.8% change). The surname moved down 1,648 positions in the national ranking, going from #141,140 to #142,788.
FAQ
Matli surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Matli?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Matli. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Matli?
Matli ranks #142,788 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 119 people with the surname Matli. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), 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 Matli.
Has Matli become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Matli went from 118 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 1 (+0.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #141,140 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Matli?
Among Census respondents with the surname Matli, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (11.8%) and Hispanic (1.7%). 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 Matli in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.9% (101 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Matli appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (11.8%), Hispanic (1.7%). 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 Matli (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 Matli mean?
A surname of Indian origin indicating membership in a clan or caste group. 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 Matli (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 are called Matli?
You can see how many people have the surname Matli on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.