Molini last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Molini

An occupational surname referring to one who operated a mill or worked as a miller.

Molini, 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 Molini surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Molini in America

Molini is the 85357th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Molini surname appeared 219 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 Molini.

We can also compare 2010 data for Molini 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.

20102000Change (%)
Rank85357783268.59%
Count219227-3.59%
Proportion per 100k0.070.08-13.33%

The history of the last name Molini

The surname Molini originated in Italy, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Italian word "molino," which means "mill." This suggests that the name was initially given to individuals who lived near or worked at mills, likely water mills used for grinding grains or other agricultural activities.

The Molini name can be traced to various regions across Italy, including Lombardy, Veneto, and Tuscany. In the 13th century, records show the name appearing in the historic city of Siena, where a family named Molini held prominent positions in the local government and mercantile trade.

One of the earliest documented individuals bearing the Molini surname was Niccolò Molini, a Sienese merchant and statesman who lived in the late 13th century. He played a crucial role in negotiating treaties and alliances between Siena and neighboring cities, cementing his family's influence in the region.

In the 15th century, the Molini name gained further prominence with the birth of Francesco Molini (1446-1508), a renowned Italian humanist scholar and diplomat. He served as an ambassador for the Medici family in Florence and was highly regarded for his contributions to the study of classical literature and philosophy.

Another notable figure was Giovanni Battista Molini (1572-1648), a Catholic priest and historian from Modena. He authored several works on the history of his hometown and the Este dynasty, which ruled over the Duchy of Modena and Reggio during the Renaissance period.

The Molini surname also has connections to the arts. One example is Gaspare Molini (1622-1686), an Italian painter active in the Baroque era. He was born in Teramo and is best known for his religious works, including frescoes and altarpieces adorning churches in and around Rome.

In the 19th century, Gustavo Adolfo Molini (1836-1908) gained recognition as an Italian naturalist and entomologist. He made significant contributions to the study of insects, particularly those found in the Apennine Mountains region, and published numerous scientific papers on his research.

While the Molini surname has its roots in Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and intermarriage. However, the name's rich history and associations with mills, scholarship, and various professions remain deeply connected to its Italian heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Molini

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

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 Molini was:

Race/EthnicityPercentageTotal Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only73.97%162
Non-Hispanic Black Only(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native0.00%0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races(S)%(S)
Hispanic Origin24.20%53

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

20102000Change (%)
White73.97%73.57%0.54%
Black(S)%(S)%(S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander(S)%(S)%(S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.00%0.00%0.00%
Two or More Races(S)%(S)%(S)%
Hispanic24.20%24.23%-0.12%

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

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

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