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

Motsinger, 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 Motsinger surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Motsinger in America

Motsinger is the 16644th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Motsinger surname appeared 1,721 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Motsinger.

We can also compare 2010 data for Motsinger 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 Motsinger

The surname Motsinger is of German origin, originating in the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the German word "mots," which translates to "mud" or "mire," and the word "singer," meaning "one who sings." The name likely referred to someone who lived near a muddy or swampy area and earned a living as a singer or entertainer.

The name can be traced back to the regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg in southwestern Germany, where it was commonly found in historical records. The earliest known record of the name is from a church register in the town of Kirchheim unter Teck, dated 1583, which mentions a Michael Motsinger.

In the 17th century, the Motsinger name appeared in several village and town records throughout the region, indicating its spread across the German states. Notable individuals from this period include Johann Motsinger (1625-1693), a respected craftsman and woodcarver from Esslingen, and Hans Motsinger (1641-1712), a farmer from Nürtingen.

As the centuries progressed, the Motsinger family branched out, with some members migrating to other parts of Europe and eventually to the Americas. In the late 18th century, Jacob Motsinger (1762-1842) immigrated to Pennsylvania, becoming one of the earliest Motsingers in the United States.

Another notable Motsinger was Friedrich Motsinger (1813-1887), a German-American composer and musician who settled in Ohio. His compositions and performances were highly regarded in the mid-19th century.

In the 20th century, the name gained further recognition with individuals like Gertrude Motsinger (1902-1984), an American educator and administrator in North Carolina, and Walter Motsinger (1919-2003), a World War II veteran and business executive from Ohio.

Throughout its history, the Motsinger surname has been associated with various professions, from farmers and artisans to musicians and educators, reflecting the diverse paths taken by those who carried this name over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Motsinger

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

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

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

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