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

Metra, 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 Metra surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Metra in America

Metra is the 150452nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Metra surname appeared 109 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 Metra.

The history of the last name Metra

The surname Metra is of Italian origin, specifically from the northern regions of the country, and it dates back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "metra," which means a unit of measurement or a measure of land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Metra can be found in the registers of the city of Genoa, dating back to the 13th century. In these records, a certain Giovanni Metra is mentioned as a landowner and merchant, suggesting that the name may have originally been associated with individuals involved in land measurement or ownership.

During the Renaissance period, the Metra family gained prominence in the city of Milan. Several members of the family held important positions in the local government and were influential patrons of the arts. One notable figure from this time was Girolamo Metra (1500-1572), a renowned architect and sculptor who contributed to the design of several churches and palaces in Milan.

In the 17th century, the Metra name appeared in the records of the Republic of Venice, where a branch of the family had established itself. Pietro Metra (1620-1692) was a successful merchant and trader who played a significant role in the city's maritime commerce.

Moving to the 18th century, the Metra family had spread to other parts of Italy, including the region of Piedmont. Here, we find the name of Antonio Metra (1725-1798), a respected jurist and legal scholar who served as a judge in the courts of Turin.

In the 19th century, a notable figure bearing the surname Metra was Giacomo Metra (1810-1879), an Italian politician and statesman who served as a member of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Sardinia and later became a senator in the newly unified Kingdom of Italy.

Throughout its history, the surname Metra has also been associated with various place names and older spellings. For example, in some historical documents, the name is spelled as "Metrae" or "Metria," which further reinforces its connection to the concept of measurement and land.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Metra

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

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

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

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