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

Mattu, 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 Mattu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mattu in America

Mattu is the 74141st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mattu surname appeared 261 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 Mattu.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mattu 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 Mattu

The surname Mattu has its origins in India, specifically in the southern regions of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. It is believed to have derived from the Tamil word "Mattu," which means "respectable" or "venerable." The name can be traced back to the 12th century, when it was commonly used among communities of scholars, priests, and nobles.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mattu can be found in the inscriptions of the Hoysala Empire, which ruled parts of present-day Karnataka between the 10th and 14th centuries. These inscriptions mention various individuals with the surname Mattu, suggesting that the name was widely used during that period.

In the 16th century, the Mattu surname gained prominence in the court of the Vijayanagar Empire. Several notable figures from this era bore the name, including Mattu Ananthacharya (1490-1560), a renowned scholar and advisor to the emperor Krishnadevaraya.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Mattu surname spread to other parts of southern India, particularly in the regions of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. One notable figure from this time was Mattu Venkatarama Krishnayya (1670-1745), a celebrated poet and playwright who contributed significantly to the Telugu literary tradition.

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the Mattu surname gained recognition in the field of classical Indian music. Mattu Venkataramayya (1780-1850), a renowned musician and composer from the court of Thanjavur, made significant contributions to the Carnatic music tradition.

Another prominent individual with the Mattu surname was Mattu Buchi Venkataramanayya (1820-1890), a scholar and reformer who played a crucial role in the revival of Sanskrit education in the Madras Presidency during the British colonial period.

Throughout history, the Mattu surname has been associated with various professions and fields, including academia, literature, music, and public service. While the name originated in southern India, it has since spread to other regions of the country and has gained recognition as a respected surname across various communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mattu

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

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 Mattu 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 Mattu 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 Mattu was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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