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

Moraca, 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 Moraca surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Moraca in America

Moraca is the 107669th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Moraca surname appeared 165 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 Moraca.

We can also compare 2010 data for Moraca 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 Moraca

The surname Moraca has its origins in Italy, specifically the region of Calabria, in the southern part of the country. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, possibly as early as the 11th or 12th century.

One theory suggests that the name Moraca is derived from the Italian word "mora," which means "blackberry." This could indicate that the name was initially given to someone who lived near or worked with blackberry bushes or had a connection to the fruit in some way. Another possibility is that the name is linked to the town of Morano Calabro, which was once known as Moraca in ancient times.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Moraca can be traced back to historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries in Calabria. In these records, the name appears with various spellings, such as Moracca, Moracchi, and Morachis, reflecting the regional dialects and variations in writing at the time.

One notable figure with the surname Moraca was Giovanni Moraca, a 16th-century Italian painter and sculptor who was active in Naples and renowned for his religious artworks. His most famous work is the altarpiece depicting the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, which can be found in the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Naples.

In the 17th century, there was a prominent Moraca family in the town of Morano Calabro, which was known for their involvement in local politics and governance. One member of this family, Tommaso Moraca (1622-1687), served as the mayor of Morano Calabro for several years.

Another notable individual with the surname Moraca was Francesco Moraca (1784-1857), an Italian astronomer and mathematician from Calabria. He made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics and published several works on the subject.

In the 19th century, a branch of the Moraca family migrated to the United States, where they settled in various cities and towns along the East Coast. One of the earliest recorded Moracas in America was Giuseppe Moraca (1832-1901), who arrived in New York City in the 1850s and worked as a shoemaker.

Throughout history, the surname Moraca has been linked to various places and regions in Italy, particularly in the southern regions of Calabria and Sicily. While the name may not be as widespread as some other Italian surnames, it has a rich history and heritage that can be traced back to the medieval period and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Moraca

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

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

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

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