Molinari last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Molinari

An occupational surname referring to a miller or someone who operated a mill.

Molinari, 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 Molinari surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Molinari in America

Molinari is the 10607th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Molinari surname appeared 3,019 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 Molinari.

We can also compare 2010 data for Molinari 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 10607 10384 2.12%
Count 3,019 2,844 5.97%
Proportion per 100k 1.02 1.05 -2.90%

The history of the last name Molinari

The surname Molinari has its origins in Italy, specifically in the northern regions of Lombardy and Piedmont. It is derived from the Italian word "molinaro," which means "miller" or someone who operates a mill. The earliest recorded instances of this surname date back to the 13th century.

During the Middle Ages, the Molinari family was well-established in the city of Milan, where they were involved in the milling industry. Records from this period show that several members of the family held influential positions within the city's guilds and trade organizations.

One notable figure from this era was Giovanni Molinari, a prominent merchant and banker who lived in Milan in the late 14th century. His name appears in several historical documents related to trade agreements and financial transactions.

As the Molinari family grew and spread throughout northern Italy, variations in the spelling of the surname began to emerge. Some of these variations include Molinaro, Molinaroli, and Molinelli. In some cases, the name was also associated with specific locations, such as Molinari di Bergamo or Molinari di Torino.

During the Renaissance period, the Molinari family produced several notable figures, including the architect and sculptor Gian Giacomo Molinari, who was born in Genoa in 1570. His works can be found in various churches and palaces throughout northern Italy.

Another prominent individual was Giambattista Molinari, a Venetian philosopher and economist who lived from 1801 to 1888. He is considered one of the founders of the economic theory of anarcho-capitalism and was a strong advocate for free market principles.

In the 19th century, the Molinari name gained international recognition through the works of the Italian composer and pianist Giovanni Molinari (1805-1881). His compositions, which included operas, symphonies, and chamber music, were widely performed throughout Europe.

One of the most famous bearers of the Molinari surname was the Italian painter and sculptor Medardo Rosso (1858-1928), whose full name was Giovanni Battista Medardo Rosso Molinari. He was a pioneering figure in the Impressionist and Modernist movements and is renowned for his sculptural works in wax and plaster.

Throughout its long history, the Molinari surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, intellectuals, entrepreneurs, and tradespeople. While its origins can be traced back to the milling industry of medieval Italy, the name has since spread across the globe, reflecting the diverse and far-reaching impact of Italian culture and heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Molinari

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

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 Molinari was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 89.00% 2,687
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.60% 18
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.70% 21
Hispanic Origin 9.18% 277

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

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 89.00% 91.46% -2.73%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.60% 0.49% 20.18%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 0.70% 1.02% -37.21%
Hispanic 9.18% 6.72% 30.94%

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Molinari, 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!

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

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

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

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