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

Matu, 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 Matu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Matu in America

Matu is the 151532nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Matu surname appeared 108 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 Matu.

The history of the last name Matu

The surname MATU is believed to have originated from the Basque region of Spain and France during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Basque word "matu," meaning "cat," which may have been used as a nickname or descriptor for someone with cat-like traits or behaviors.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MATU can be found in the Codex Calixtinus, a 12th-century manuscript describing the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. The document mentions a wealthy merchant named Pedro de MATU, who lived in the city of Burgos in the late 11th century.

Another notable bearer of the MATU name was Juan de MATU, a 15th-century Spanish explorer who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493. Juan de MATU is credited with being one of the first Europeans to set foot on the island of Puerto Rico.

In the 16th century, a family of noble lineage from the Basque region bore the surname MATU. This family had strong ties to the Catholic Church, and several members served as bishops and cardinals during the Counter-Reformation period. One prominent figure was Cardinal Francisco de MATU (1525-1589), who played a significant role in the Council of Trent.

The MATU surname also has roots in the Navarre region of Spain, where it was associated with several villages and towns. One such place is the village of MATU-Enea, which dates back to the 13th century. The name may have originated as a reference to the village or its inhabitants.

Another notable bearer of the MATU name was Inés de MATU (1570-1642), a Spanish nun and mystic who founded the Order of the Immaculate Conception in the early 17th century. Her writings and teachings had a significant influence on Catholic spirituality and mysticism during the Spanish Golden Age.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Matu

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

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 Matu 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.

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

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

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