Explore the Family Name La Motta

The meaning of La Motta

Italian: topographic name from la motta ‘the fortified stronghold’ (compare French Lamotte), or a habitational name from a place called with this word. Some characteristic forenames: Italian Gaetano, Giovanni, Mario, Ricardo.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name La Motta in the United States?

The surname La Motta saw a slight drop in popularity between 2000 and 2010, according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, La Motta was ranked 56,526 out of all surnames in the United States, but by 2010 it had dropped to 58,182 — a decline of approximately 2.93%. However, the count of people with this surname actually increased during the same period, from 338 in 2000 to 349 in 2010, marking a growth of 3.25%. The proportion of people named La Motta per 100,000 residents also decreased slightly, from 0.13 in 2000 to 0.12 in 2010.

20002010Change
Rank#56,526#58,182-2.93%
Count3383493.25%
Proportion per 100k0.130.12-7.69%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name La Motta

Looking at the ethnicity of those bearing the surname La Motta, we see some changes between 2000 and 2010, again based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, the vast majority identified as White (87.87%), followed by Hispanic (5.33%) and Black (3.55%). A small percentage reported having two or more races (1.78%), while there were no individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native. By 2010, the percentage of Whites had dropped slightly to 85.96%, while the percentages of Hispanics and Blacks had increased to 7.16% and 5.44% respectively. The category of two or more races, however, disappeared entirely. Once again, no one identified as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native.

20002010Change
White87.87%85.96%-2.17%
Hispanic5.33%7.16%34.33%
Black3.55%5.44%53.24%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
Two or More Races1.78%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%