2000
#82,019
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 214
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.08
Very Rare Last name
Motroni
A surname likely deriving from a Romanian place name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 272 Americans carry the last name Motroni. That puts it at #85,054 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,260,126 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Motroni 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
272
1 in 1,260,126
Census rank
#85,054
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
237
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 237 bearers of the surname Motroni in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 85054th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Motroni, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.1%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Motroni
The surname Motroni is believed to have originated in Italy, specifically in the central region of Tuscany. It is likely derived from the Latin word "mutro," meaning "thief" or "rogue." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname or descriptive term to an individual known for mischievous behavior or petty theft.
Early records indicate that the name Motroni can be traced back to the 13th century in Tuscany. Some of the earliest documented instances of the name appear in archival records from the city of Siena, where families bearing the surname resided during the medieval period.
One notable historical figure with the surname Motroni was Guido Motroni, a prominent lawyer and judge who lived in Siena during the late 15th century. He is mentioned in several legal documents and court records from that era, reflecting the influential position held by members of the Motroni family within the local community.
In the 16th century, the name Motroni appears in various Italian manuscripts and chronicles, often in connection with individuals involved in trade or artisanal professions. For instance, Marco Motroni, born in 1528, was a renowned glassblower from the Venetian island of Murano, renowned for his intricate glass creations.
Another historical figure of note is Lucrezia Motroni, a celebrated opera singer born in 1685 in Naples. She performed in some of the most prestigious opera houses across Italy and gained widespread acclaim for her exceptional vocal talents.
During the 18th century, the Motroni surname became closely associated with the town of Montepulciano in Tuscany. Several families bearing this name were involved in the local wine industry, contributing to the region's renowned wine production.
One such individual was Bartolomeo Motroni (1721-1799), a respected winemaker whose Vino Nobile di Montepulciano was highly sought after by connoisseurs throughout Italy and beyond.
Throughout its history, the surname Motroni has maintained a strong presence in various regions of Italy, particularly in Tuscany and the surrounding areas. While its exact origins remain somewhat obscure, the name has a rich and diverse heritage, encompassing individuals from various walks of life, ranging from legal professionals and artisans to performers and winemakers.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Motroni
Among Census respondents with the surname Motroni, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.1%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Motroni 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 Motroni surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.1% · 204
- Hispanic or Latino10.1% · 24
- Two or more races2.5% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 2
- Black or African American0.4% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Motroni
Motroni 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
#86,314
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 216
+2 bearers (+0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Down 4,295 places
2020
#85,054
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 237
+21 bearers (+9.7%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Up 1,260 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #82,019 | 214 | 0.08 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #86,314 | 216 | 0.07 | +2 bearers (+0.9%) | Down 4,295 places |
| 2020 | #85,054 | 237 | 0.08 | +21 bearers (+9.7%) | Up 1,260 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 Motroni 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 | #86,314 | #85,054 | 1.5% |
| Count | 216 | 237 | 9.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.07 | 0.08 | 13.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Motroni bearers went from 216 to 237 (+9.7% change). The surname moved up 1,260 positions in the national ranking, going from #86,314 to #85,054.
FAQ
Motroni surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Motroni?
Name Census estimates that about 272 living Americans carry the surname Motroni. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,260,126 residents.
How common is Motroni?
Motroni ranks #85,054 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 237 people with the surname Motroni. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (272), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.08 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.08 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Motroni.
Has Motroni become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Motroni went from 216 recorded bearers to 237. That is an increase of 21 (+9.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #86,314 to #85,054.
What does the Census say about the background of Motroni?
Among Census respondents with the surname Motroni, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.1%) and Two or More Races (2.5%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Motroni in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.1% (204 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Motroni appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.1%), Hispanic (10.1%), Two or More Races (2.5%). 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 Motroni (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 Motroni mean?
A surname likely deriving from a Romanian place name. 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 Motroni (0.08 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 Motroni?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.