2000
#21,848
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.41
Rare Last name
Matranga
An Italian surname possibly derived from the town of Mistretta in Sicily.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,143 Americans carry the last name Matranga. That puts it at #25,867 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.33 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 299,873 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Matranga 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
1.1K
1 in 299,873
Census rank
#25,867
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
997
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 997 bearers of the surname Matranga in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.33 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 25867th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Matranga, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.1%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Matranga
The surname Matranga finds its origins in the Italian island of Sicily, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Arabic word "matraha," which translates to "a place where one throws or casts something." This linguistic link suggests that the name might have originated from an occupation or location associated with some form of throwing or casting activity.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Matranga can be traced back to the 13th century, appearing in the Sicilian town of Misilmeri. During this time, the name was often spelled as "Matrangha" or "Matranga," reflecting the local dialectal variations. The surname is also found in the nearby towns of Monreale and Palermo, indicating its regional distribution.
In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the name Matranga was Pietro Matranga, a prominent landowner and nobleman from the town of Monreale. He is mentioned in several historical records from that period, documenting his landholdings and contributions to the local community.
During the 16th century, the Matranga family gained prominence in the city of Palermo. Vincenzo Matranga, born in 1520, was a respected scholar and jurist who served as a legal advisor to the Spanish viceroy of Sicily. His son, Antonio Matranga (1562-1638), followed in his footsteps and became a renowned lawyer and judge in Palermo's court system.
In the 17th century, the surname Matranga gained recognition beyond Sicily's borders. Giulio Matranga (1612-1679), a Sicilian-born artist, achieved fame for his religious paintings and frescoes adorning churches throughout Italy. His works can still be admired in various cities, including Rome and Naples.
Another notable figure from this era was Francesco Matranga (1633-1711), a Sicilian priest and historian. He authored several books documenting the history and culture of Sicily, providing invaluable insights into the island's past.
As the centuries passed, the Matranga surname continued to spread across Italy and beyond. Giuseppe Matranga (1852-1918), born in Palermo, was a prominent Italian politician who served as a member of the Italian parliament and held various ministerial positions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Despite its Sicilian roots, the name Matranga has been carried by individuals of diverse backgrounds and accomplishments throughout history, leaving an indelible mark on various fields, from art and literature to law and politics.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Matranga
Among Census respondents with the surname Matranga, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.1%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Matranga 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 Matranga surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.6% · 873
- Hispanic or Latino8.1% · 81
- Two or more races2.6% · 26
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 11
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 5
- Black or African American0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Matranga
Matranga 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
#23,852
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,059
-50 bearers (-4.5%)
Per 100,000 0.36
Rank movement Down 2,004 places
2020
#25,867
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 997
-62 bearers (-5.9%)
Per 100,000 0.33
Rank movement Down 2,015 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #21,848 | 1,109 | 0.41 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #23,852 | 1,059 | 0.36 | -50 bearers (-4.5%) | Down 2,004 places |
| 2020 | #25,867 | 997 | 0.33 | -62 bearers (-5.9%) | Down 2,015 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 Matranga 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 | #23,852 | #25,867 | -8.4% |
| Count | 1,059 | 997 | -5.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.36 | 0.33 | -7.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Matranga bearers went from 1,059 to 997 (-5.9% change). The surname moved down 2,015 positions in the national ranking, going from #23,852 to #25,867.
FAQ
Matranga surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Matranga?
Name Census estimates that about 1,143 living Americans carry the surname Matranga. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 299,873 residents.
How common is Matranga?
Matranga ranks #25,867 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.33 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 997 people with the surname Matranga. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,143), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.33 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.33 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 Matranga.
Has Matranga become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Matranga went from 1,059 recorded bearers to 997. That is a decrease of 62 (-5.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #23,852 to #25,867.
What does the Census say about the background of Matranga?
Among Census respondents with the surname Matranga, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.1%) and Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Matranga in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.6% (873 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Matranga appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.6%), Hispanic (8.1%), Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Matranga (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 Matranga mean?
An Italian surname possibly derived from the town of Mistretta in Sicily. 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 Matranga (0.33 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 Matranga?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans have the surname Matranga at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.