Find out how popular the last name Matras is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Matras.

Matras, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Matras surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Matras in America

Matras is the 75317th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Matras surname appeared 256 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Matras.

We can also compare 2010 data for Matras to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Matras

The surname Matras is of Hungarian origin, having its roots in the Magyar language spoken in Hungary and parts of neighboring countries. It emerged during the late Middle Ages, around the 14th or 15th century, when surnames began to become more widespread across Europe.

One theory suggests that Matras is derived from the Hungarian word "matrac," which means mattress or cushion. It's possible that the name was originally an occupational surname, referring to someone who made or sold mattresses or related products. Another possibility is that it stemmed from a place name or a descriptive nickname related to a person's residence or physical characteristics.

While there are no definitive records of the name's appearance in ancient manuscripts or chronicles, some of the earliest known individuals bearing the Matras surname can be traced back to the 16th and 17th centuries in Hungary. One notable example is Mátyás Matras, a Hungarian nobleman born in 1572 in the town of Eger, who served as a military commander during the Thirty Years' War.

In the 18th century, János Matras (1712-1783) was a renowned Hungarian architect and builder, responsible for the construction of several churches and public buildings in Budapest and other cities. His son, Sámuel Matras (1749-1821), followed in his footsteps as an architect and served as the chief architect of the city of Pest (now part of Budapest).

Another prominent figure with the Matras surname was Erzsébet Matras (1820-1898), a Hungarian writer and poet who gained recognition for her works exploring themes of love, nature, and Hungarian culture. Her collection of poems, "Virágok a pusztán" (Flowers on the Puszta), published in 1865, is considered a literary classic.

In the 19th century, the name Matras also appeared in various parts of Europe, including Germany and Austria, likely due to migration and intermarriage. One notable example is Karl Matras (1845-1912), an Austrian engineer and inventor who patented several innovative designs for steam engines and industrial machinery.

Throughout its history, the surname Matras has been spelled in various ways, such as Matrasz, Matracz, and Matracz, reflecting regional linguistic variations and orthographic conventions. However, the core meaning and origin of the name have remained consistent, rooted in the Magyar language and culture of Hungary.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Matras

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Matras.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Matras was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Matras has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Matras was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Matras, please contact us.

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