Explore the Family Name Matta

The meaning of Matta

1. Italian (southern): from the feminine form of Matto. 2. Portuguese and Spanish: variant of Mata. 3. Slovak: from a pet form of the personal names Matej or Matúš, Slovak equvalents of Matthew. 4. Cornish and English: nickname from Middle Cornish mata ‘mate, friend, companion’ (itself from Middle English mate). 5. Arabic (Lebanon) and Coptic (Egypt): from the personal name Mattā, from Greek New Testament name Matthaios (see Matthew). Bearers of this surname are Christians. 6. Indian: name found among people from Sindh, Pakistan, of unexplained etymology. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Jose, Manuel, Carlos, Enrique, Alfonso, Juan, Luis, Alfredo, Angel, Gerardo, Jaime, Julio. Indian Mahendra, Amit, Ananda, Anil, Ash, Ashwin, Balraj, Deepak, Gurmukh, Hari, Jyoti, Lalita.

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

How common is the last name Matta in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Matta has increased significantly between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Matta was ranked as the 7281st most popular surname in the United States, but by 2010, it had climbed to 6111th place, an increase of 16.07%. The number of people with the surname also rose during this period, from 4221 in 2000 to 5610 in 2010, a significant 32.91% increase. Furthermore, the proportion of people named Matta per 100,000 residents increased by 21.79%, from 1.56 in 2000 to 1.9 in 2010.

20002010Change
Rank#7,281#6,11116.07%
Count4,2215,61032.91%
Proportion per 100k1.561.921.79%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Matta

In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows a diverse range of ethnic identities associated with the surname Matta. In 2000, 49.25% identified as White, a figure that slightly grew to 49.36% in 2010. Those identifying as Hispanic made up 40.65% in 2000, though this decreased to 38.98% by 2010. The percentage of Mattas identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander saw a substantial increase from 5.57% in 2000 to 7.75% in 2010. Those reporting multiple races fell from 2.65% to 1.44%, while those identifying as Black increased from 1.18% to 1.52%. Lastly, individuals who identify as American Indian and Alaskan Native also saw growth, from 0.69% in 2000 to 0.94% in 2010.

20002010Change
White49.25%49.36%0.22%
Hispanic40.65%38.98%-4.11%
Asian/Pacific Islander5.57%7.75%39.14%
Black1.18%1.52%28.81%
Two or More Races2.65%1.44%-45.66%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.69%0.94%36.23%

Matta ancestry composition

23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Matta is British & Irish, which comprises 17.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Spanish & Portuguese (15.2%) and Levantine (12.5%). Additional ancestries include Coptic Egyptian, Indigenous American, French & German, Eastern European, and Italian.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
British & Irish17.4%
Spanish & Portuguese15.2%
Levantine12.5%
Other54.9%
Matta

Possible origins of the surname Matta

Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.

Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Matta have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Greater London, United Kingdom34.50%
Merseyside, United Kingdom34.50%
Glasgow City, United Kingdom34.50%
West Midlands, United Kingdom33.60%
Lancashire, United Kingdom33.60%

What Matta haplogroups can tell you

Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.

The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Matta is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include E-M34 and J-M267, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Bruno, Rizzo, Fleischman, Nathan, Pinto, Russo, Kohl, Brody, Franco, David.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Matta surname are: A2, H1, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

mattaPaternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343

Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette

Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.

Maternal Haplo Image

What do people with the surname Matta have in common?

Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.

Preferences

Matta

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Matta" Surname 39.5%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Matta

Misophonia

When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.

"Matta" Surname 34.6%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Matta

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Matta" Surname 26.7%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Matta

Migraine

A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

"Matta" Surname 15.2%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Matta?

The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.

Disease variant frequency by ancestry

Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Matta are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Y402H variant

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. The disease results in damage to the central part of the retina (the macula), impairing vision needed for reading, driving, or even recognizing faces. The 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA test includes the two most common variants associated with an increased risk of developing the condition: the Y402H variant in the CFH gene and the A69S variant in the ARMS2 gene. Learn more about Age-Related Macular Degeneration

British & Irish 62.1%

23andMe Users 57.2%