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

Motel, 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 Motel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Motel in America

Motel is the 86314th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Motel surname appeared 216 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 Motel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Motel 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 Motel

The surname Motel has its origins in France, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "motele," which means "spotted" or "speckled." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone with freckles or a distinguishing birthmark.

In the early records, the name appeared with various spellings, such as Motelle, Motelle, and Motele. One of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in the parish records of Normandy, where a certain Jean Motelle was mentioned in 1562.

Interestingly, the name Motel also bears a resemblance to the French word "motel," which means a small, roadside hotel or inn. However, there is no direct connection between the surname and the modern usage of the word as a type of accommodation.

One notable bearer of the Motel surname was Jacques Motel, a French architect who lived from 1592 to 1662. He was known for his work on several churches and public buildings in Paris during the 17th century.

Another individual with this surname was Marie-Geneviève Motel, a French painter who lived from 1736 to 1813. She was celebrated for her still-life paintings and portraits, which were highly regarded during her time.

In the 18th century, the Motel family gained prominence in the region of Burgundy, France. Nicolas Motel (1717-1801) was a renowned winemaker who played a significant role in establishing the reputation of the Burgundy wine region.

Moving to more recent times, Jean-Paul Motel (1909-1988) was a French author and screenwriter, known for his contributions to several popular films in the mid-20th century.

It is worth noting that while the surname Motel has its roots in France, it has also been adopted by families in other parts of the world, particularly in North America, where it is likely to have been carried by French immigrants.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Motel

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

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

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

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