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

Mottu, 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 Mottu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mottu in America

Mottu is the 105600th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mottu surname appeared 169 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 Mottu.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mottu 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 Mottu

The surname Mottu has its origins in France, tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "motte," which referred to a small hill or mound, particularly one used for defensive purposes in the construction of castles or fortified dwellings.

This surname is closely linked to the region of Normandy in northern France, where many Norman families bore variations of this name, such as Motteux, Mottard, and Mottet. These names often referred to individuals who lived near or were associated with such fortified mounds or mottes.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mottu can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which documented landholders in England after the Norman Conquest. The name appears as "Mottus," referencing a landowner in the county of Norfolk.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named Jean Mottu was a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Rouen, Normandy. Records from this period also mention a knight named Raoul Mottu, who participated in the Seventh Crusade led by King Louis IX of France in 1248.

During the Renaissance, the Mottu family produced several notable scholars and writers. Jacques Mottu (1490-1568) was a renowned humanist and poet who authored works on philosophy and classical literature. His nephew, Pierre Mottu (1520-1592), followed in his footsteps as a celebrated philosopher and theologian.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Mottu family settled in the region of Burgundy, where they established themselves as prominent winemakers. One of their descendants, Claude Mottu (1637-1718), is credited with developing several innovative techniques in viticulture and winemaking that contributed to the region's renown for exceptional wines.

Another notable figure was François Mottu (1745-1820), a French military officer who served under Napoleon Bonaparte during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He rose to the rank of général de division and was awarded the prestigious Légion d'honneur for his distinguished service.

Throughout its history, the surname Mottu has been associated with various place names and localities in France, such as Motteville, Mottier, and Motte-Chalançon, reflecting the name's origins and the family's presence in different regions over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mottu

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

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

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

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