NameCensus.

UK surname

Molla

A surname derived from the Spanish and Italian word "molla," meaning "soft" or "gentle."

In the 1881 census there were 1 people recorded with the Molla surname, ranking it #34,027 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 147, ranked #24,071, up from #34,027 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Islington, Southwark and Brent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Molla is 147 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 14600.0%.

1881 census count

1

Ranked #34,027

Modern count

147

2016, ranked #24,071

Peak year

2016

147 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Molla had 1 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #34,027 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 147 in 2016, ranked #24,071.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 20 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Molla surname distribution map

The map shows where the Molla surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Molla surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Molla over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1861 historical 20 #31,364
1881 historical 1 #34,027
1891 historical 6 #33,800
1901 historical 5 #33,728
1911 historical 1 #34,332
1997 modern 24 #35,376
1998 modern 30 #34,833
1999 modern 32 #34,717
2000 modern 32 #34,705
2001 modern 30 #34,753
2002 modern 36 #34,480
2003 modern 39 #34,296
2004 modern 40 #34,387
2005 modern 43 #34,328
2006 modern 55 #33,688
2007 modern 70 #32,580
2008 modern 82 #31,597
2009 modern 94 #30,538
2010 modern 112 #28,336
2011 modern 108 #28,811
2012 modern 123 #26,561
2013 modern 125 #26,695
2014 modern 130 #26,216
2015 modern 140 #24,836
2016 modern 147 #24,071

Geography

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Where Mollas are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Islington, Southwark, Brent, Hillingdon and Kensington and Chelsea. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Islington 005 Islington
2 Southwark 004 Southwark
3 Brent 016 Brent
4 Hillingdon 023 Hillingdon
5 Kensington and Chelsea 016 Kensington and Chelsea

Forenames

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First names often paired with Molla

These lists show first names that appear often with the Molla surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Molla

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Molla, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Molla surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Molla household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Molla is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Molla is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Molla falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Molla is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Molla, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Molla

The surname Molla is of Italian origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "molla," which means "spring" or "coil," potentially referring to a person's occupation or place of residence near a spring or coiled river.

The earliest known records of the Molla surname can be found in various regions of Italy, particularly in the northern regions of Piedmont and Lombardy, as well as in the central regions of Tuscany and Umbria. One of the earliest documented instances of the name appears in a 14th-century manuscript from the city of Siena, where a certain Giovanni Molla is mentioned as a landowner.

During the Renaissance period, several notable figures bore the Molla surname. One of the most prominent was Gasparo Molla, a Venetian painter born in 1530, who was celebrated for his religious works and frescoes adorning churches throughout Italy. Another notable figure was Niccolò Molla, a 16th-century mathematician and astronomer from Brescia, who made significant contributions to the understanding of celestial mechanics.

In the 17th century, the Molla name gained prominence in the arts and literature. Pietro Molla, born in 1612 in Naples, was a renowned sculptor whose works can be found in various churches and palaces across Italy. Additionally, Giovanni Battista Molla, a Neapolitan writer and poet born in 1675, gained acclaim for his satirical works and commentary on societal issues of the time.

As the centuries progressed, the Molla surname continued to be associated with various professions and disciplines. In the 18th century, Antonio Molla, born in 1720 in Bologna, was a respected jurist and legal scholar who authored several influential treatises on civil law. Meanwhile, in the 19th century, Giuseppe Molla, born in 1825 in Milan, was a celebrated architect known for his contributions to the neo-Renaissance style in Italian architecture.

The Molla surname has also been documented in other regions of Europe, particularly in Spain and France, where it likely originated from Italian immigrants or descendants. However, its prevalence and historical significance remain most closely tied to its Italian roots.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Molla families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Molla surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 1 Mollas recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.37x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1 10.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Westminster St in Middlesex leads with 1 Mollas recorded in 1881 and an index of 2500.00x.

Place Total Index
Westminster St 1 2500.00x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Molla surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Jeanne 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Molla households.

Occupation Count
Dom Servt 1

FAQ

Molla surname: questions and answers

How common was the Molla surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1 people were recorded with the Molla surname. That placed it at #34,027 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Molla surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 147 in 2016. That gives Molla a modern rank of #24,071.

What does the Molla surname mean?

A surname derived from the Spanish and Italian word "molla," meaning "soft" or "gentle."

What does the Molla map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Molla bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.