2000
#21,934
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.41
Rare Last name
Morataya
A surname of Spanish origin possibly derived from the name of a town or village.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,191 Americans carry the last name Morataya. That puts it at #14,878 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.64 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 156,437 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Morataya surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
2.2K
1 in 156,437
Census rank
#14,878
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,911 bearers of the surname Morataya in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.64 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14878th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Morataya, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.6%. The next largest groups are White (3.7%) and Black (0.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Morataya
The surname Morataya is believed to have originated in the Philippines, likely during the 16th or 17th century when the Spanish colonized the archipelago. It is speculated that the name may have derived from a combination of Spanish and indigenous Tagalog or Visayan words, possibly referring to a specific location or describing a physical feature.
One theory suggests that Morataya might have originated from the Spanish word "morada," meaning dwelling or residence, and the Tagalog word "taya," which can mean a stake or marker. This could indicate that the name initially referred to someone who lived near a particular landmark or boundary marker.
Another possibility is that the name was initially a place name itself, perhaps derived from the Tagalog words "mora" (which can mean purple or dark-colored) and "taya" (stake or marker), potentially describing a settlement or area characterized by its distinctive terrain or vegetation.
Early records of the Morataya surname are scarce, as systematic documentation of Filipino names was limited during the Spanish colonial period. However, some historical accounts and church records from the 17th and 18th centuries may contain references to individuals with this surname, particularly in the Visayan region of the Philippines.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Morataya was Juan Morataya, a Filipino revolutionary who participated in the struggle against Spanish colonial rule in the late 19th century. He was born in the province of Leyte in 1858 and played a significant role in the Visayan theater of the Philippine Revolution.
Another notable figure was Mariano Morataya, a Filipino poet and writer who lived in the early 20th century. He was born in the province of Cebu in 1879 and published several collections of poetry and short stories that explored themes of Philippine culture and identity during the American colonial period.
In the mid-20th century, Josefa Morataya gained recognition as a prominent educator and advocate for women's rights in the Philippines. She founded several schools and organizations dedicated to promoting educational opportunities for underprivileged children and empowering women in various communities.
More recently, Maria Morataya has made a name for herself as a successful businesswoman and entrepreneur in the Philippines. She established a chain of sustainable eco-resorts and has been recognized for her efforts in promoting responsible tourism and environmental conservation.
Another individual of note is Andres Morataya, a contemporary Filipino artist who has gained international acclaim for his vibrant and evocative paintings that depict scenes from rural life and traditional Filipino culture.
While the exact origins of the Morataya surname remain uncertain, its presence in various historical records and the achievements of individuals bearing this name reflect the rich cultural heritage and diverse contributions of Filipinos throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Morataya
Among Census respondents with the surname Morataya, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.6%. The next largest groups are White (3.7%) and Black (0.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Morataya bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Morataya surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino95.6% · 1,826
- White3.7% · 70
- Black or African American0.5% · 9
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.2% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Morataya
Morataya appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#15,806
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,842
+739 bearers (+67.0%)
Per 100,000 0.62
Rank movement Up 6,128 places
2020
#14,878
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,911
+69 bearers (+3.7%)
Per 100,000 0.64
Rank movement Up 928 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #21,934 | 1,103 | 0.41 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #15,806 | 1,842 | 0.62 | +739 bearers (+67.0%) | Up 6,128 places |
| 2020 | #14,878 | 1,911 | 0.64 | +69 bearers (+3.7%) | Up 928 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Morataya surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #15,806 | #14,878 | 5.9% |
| Count | 1,842 | 1,911 | 3.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.62 | 0.64 | 3.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Morataya bearers went from 1,842 to 1,911 (+3.7% change). The surname moved up 928 positions in the national ranking, going from #15,806 to #14,878.
FAQ
Morataya surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Morataya?
Name Census estimates that about 2,191 living Americans carry the surname Morataya. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 156,437 residents.
How common is Morataya?
Morataya ranks #14,878 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.64 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,911 people with the surname Morataya. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,191), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.64 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.64 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Morataya.
Has Morataya become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Morataya went from 1,842 recorded bearers to 1,911. That is an increase of 69 (+3.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #15,806 to #14,878.
What does the Census say about the background of Morataya?
Among Census respondents with the surname Morataya, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.6%. The next largest groups are White (3.7%) and Black (0.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Morataya in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.6% (1,826 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Morataya appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (95.6%), White (3.7%), Black (0.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Morataya (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Morataya mean?
A surname of Spanish origin possibly derived from the name of a town or village. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Morataya (0.64 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Morataya?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.