Molera last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Molera

A Spanish surname derived from the term "molero" meaning a miller or one who operates a mill.

Molera, 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 Molera surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Molera in America

Molera is the 123796th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Molera surname appeared 139 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 Molera.

We can also compare 2010 data for Molera 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 123796 118236 4.59%
Count 139 136 2.18%
Proportion per 100k 0.05 0.05 0.00%

The history of the last name Molera

The surname Molera originated in Spain, with roots tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Spanish word "molera," which refers to a mill or the miller's occupation. This suggests that the name was initially associated with individuals who operated or owned mills, a crucial profession during that era.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Molera surname can be found in the 13th-century Catalan documents, where it appeared as "Molera" or "Moleres." This spelling variation likely arose from different regional dialects and scribal interpretations.

In the 14th century, records show the presence of the Molera family in the region of Catalonia, particularly in the town of Cervera. One notable figure from this period was Ramon Molera, a prominent landowner and mill operator who lived in the late 1300s.

As the Molera name spread throughout Spain, it also became associated with various place names. For instance, the town of Molera de Aragón in the province of Guadalajara bears a striking resemblance to the surname, indicating a potential connection between the family and the settlement.

During the 15th century, the Molera surname gained further prominence with the rise of Juan Molera, a respected scholar and theologian who authored several influential works on religious doctrine. He was born in Valencia in 1420 and died in 1498.

The 16th century saw the arrival of Pedro Molera, a renowned Spanish explorer and navigator. Born in Seville in 1512, he embarked on numerous voyages to the Americas, contributing to the exploration and mapping of the New World.

In the realm of literature, the Molera name found recognition through Antonio Molera, a celebrated poet and playwright from Granada. Born in 1638, his works played a significant role in shaping the Golden Age of Spanish literature.

Another notable figure was María Molera, a pioneer in the field of education. Born in Barcelona in 1782, she established one of the first schools for girls in Spain, advocating for equal educational opportunities for women during a time when such endeavors were rare.

As the centuries progressed, the Molera surname continued to spread across Spain and beyond, carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, each leaving their mark on history through their contributions and achievements.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Molera

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

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 Molera was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 22.30% 31
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 13.67% 19
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.00% 0
Hispanic Origin 64.03% 89

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 Molera has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 22.30% 22.06% 1.08%
Black 0.00% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 13.67% 8.82% 43.13%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 0.00% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic 64.03% 66.18% -3.30%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Molera last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/molera-surname-popularity/.

"Molera last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/molera-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

Molera last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/molera-surname-popularity/.

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