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

Motta, 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 Motta surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Motta in America

Motta is the 7929th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Motta surname appeared 4,173 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 Motta.

We can also compare 2010 data for Motta 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 Motta

The surname Motta has its origins in Italy, dating back to the Middle Ages. This name is derived from the Italian word "motta," which means a small hill or mound. It is likely that the name was initially given to someone who lived near or on a small hill.

The earliest known record of the name Motta can be traced back to the 12th century in the region of Piedmont, Italy. The name was commonly found in the province of Cuneo, where several towns and villages bear variations of the name, such as Motta Monforte and Motta San Giovanni.

During the Renaissance period, the Motta family gained prominence in the city of Venice. One notable figure was Girolamo Motta, a renowned architect who lived from 1488 to 1562. He was responsible for designing several important buildings in Venice, including the Church of San Zaccaria.

In the 17th century, the name Motta appeared in historical records in the Kingdom of Naples. One of the most notable figures from this time was Domenico Motta, a respected jurist and legal scholar who lived from 1628 to 1699.

Another prominent individual with the surname Motta was Francesco Motta, an Italian businessman and confectioner who founded the iconic Motta brand in 1859. His company became renowned for producing high-quality pastries and chocolates, and it grew into a significant enterprise in Italy.

In the 20th century, the name Motta gained international recognition through the achievements of Renato Motta, an Italian engineer and industrialist who lived from 1899 to 1988. He played a crucial role in the development of the Italian automotive industry, working closely with companies like Fiat and Lancia.

While the surname Motta has its roots in Italy, it has also spread to other parts of the world due to migration and intermarriage. However, its origins can be traced back to the small hills and mounds of the Italian countryside, where the name first emerged and gained significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Motta

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

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

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

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