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

Matula, 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 Matula surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Matula in America

Matula is the 13397th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Matula surname appeared 2,274 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Matula.

We can also compare 2010 data for Matula 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 Matula

The surname Matula originated in Croatia and dates back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Croatian word "matula," which means a small bowl or cup. The name likely referred to an occupation, such as a potter or a maker of small vessels.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Matula appears in the parish records of the town of Zadar, Croatia, in the year 1589, when a certain Ivan Matula was mentioned as a resident.

In the 17th century, the name Matula spread to other parts of Croatia, as well as to neighboring regions such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Slovenia. It is believed that some Matula families were involved in the pottery trade and may have migrated to these areas to sell their wares.

One notable person with the surname Matula was Ivan Matula (1624-1698), a Croatian painter and sculptor who worked in the Baroque style. His works can be found in churches and monasteries throughout Croatia.

Another prominent Matula was Franjo Matula (1789-1857), a Croatian playwright and poet who wrote several plays in the Croatian language. He was a leading figure in the Croatian National Revival movement of the 19th century.

In the 20th century, a famous Matula was Antun Matula (1910-1988), a Croatian writer and journalist who wrote extensively about the history and culture of his native Dalmatia region.

The name Matula has also been found in historical records in other parts of Europe, such as Poland and Germany, although it is unclear if these instances are directly related to the Croatian surname.

One example is the Polish nobleman Jakub Matula (1548-1612), who served as a courtier to King Sigismund III Vasa of Poland.

In Germany, a notable Matula was Johann Matula (1822-1887), a German-born explorer and naturalist who traveled extensively in South America and made significant contributions to the study of the region's flora and fauna.

While the surname Matula is not as common as some other Croatian surnames, it has a rich history and has been borne by individuals who have made significant contributions to the arts, literature, and sciences over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Matula

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

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

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

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