NameCensus.

UK surname

Mota

A Portuguese and Spanish occupational surname referring to a grower or seller of plants, or a topographic name for someone living near a grove.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees, Leicester and Wandsworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mota is 359 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

359

2016, ranked #12,898

Peak year

2016

359 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 359 in 2016, ranked #12,898.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Mota surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mota surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mota 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
1891 historical 8 #33,550
1901 historical 2 #34,263
1911 historical 5 #33,427
1997 modern 98 #27,179
1998 modern 109 #26,273
1999 modern 119 #25,095
2000 modern 116 #25,452
2001 modern 118 #24,832
2002 modern 140 #22,876
2003 modern 164 #20,483
2004 modern 186 #19,059
2005 modern 191 #18,707
2006 modern 210 #17,718
2007 modern 215 #17,633
2008 modern 239 #16,583
2009 modern 258 #16,050
2010 modern 291 #15,050
2011 modern 278 #15,390
2012 modern 312 #14,131
2013 modern 326 #13,893
2014 modern 340 #13,554
2015 modern 349 #13,189
2016 modern 359 #12,898

Geography

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Where Motas 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 Kirklees, Leicester, Wandsworth and Preston. 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 Kirklees 013 Kirklees
2 Leicester 019 Leicester
3 Wandsworth 004 Wandsworth
4 Leicester 018 Leicester
5 Preston 012 Preston

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mota

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mota

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mota, 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

Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students

Nationally, the Mota surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Mota household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Married couples with dependent children are common in this Group, with many parents born in Africa or the EU. The representation of residents amongst different ethnic minority groups is high, particularly for individuals of Pakistani ethnic group. For many residents, English is not their main language, and affiliation to Christian religions is less common. Privately rented terrace properties predominate and levels of overcrowding are high. Part time work is common, with many employed in elementary occupations and sales and customer services. There are also many students living within these areas, and overall unemployment levels are high.

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, Mota 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

Mota 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

Mota falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mota is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Mota

The surname MOTA has its origins in Spain and Portugal. It is likely derived from the Spanish and Portuguese word "mota," which means "tuft" or "clump," referring to a small hill or mound of earth.

The surname can be traced back to the 12th and 13th centuries in the Iberian Peninsula. It is believed to have originated as a topographic name, given to someone who lived near or on a small hill or mound. The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the late 13th century in various documents and records from the regions of Castile and Aragon in Spain, as well as the region of Alentejo in Portugal.

One of the earliest known references to the MOTA surname can be found in the "Libro de la Monterĭa" (Book of the Hunt), a 14th-century manuscript commissioned by King Alfonso XI of Castile, which mentions a person named Juan de Mota. Additionally, the "Nobiliario de Canarias" (Nobility of the Canary Islands), written in the 16th century, includes several references to individuals with the MOTA surname who were among the early settlers of the Canary Islands.

Some notable historical figures with the MOTA surname include:

1. Juan de Mota (fl. 14th century), a nobleman and landowner mentioned in the "Libro de la Monterĭa." 2. Cristóbal de Mota (fl. 16th century), a Spanish explorer and conquistador who participated in the conquest of Guatemala and Honduras. 3. Pedro de Mota (1528-1588), a Spanish painter and architect who worked on various religious buildings in Seville and Córdoba. 4. Manuel da Mota Teixeira (1568-1638), a Portuguese mathematician and cosmographer who published works on cartography and navigation. 5. Juan de la Mota y Escobar (1589-1636), a Spanish dramatist and poet who wrote several plays and poems during the Golden Age of Spanish literature.

The MOTA surname has also been associated with various place names in Spain and Portugal, such as Mota del Cuervo (a town in Castilla-La Mancha, Spain), Mota de Altarejos (a municipality in Castilla-La Mancha, Spain), and Mota (a parish in the municipality of Avis, Portugal).

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Mota surname: questions and answers

How common is the Mota surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 359 in 2016. That gives Mota a modern rank of #12,898.

What does the Mota surname mean?

A Portuguese and Spanish occupational surname referring to a grower or seller of plants, or a topographic name for someone living near a grove.

What does the Mota map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Mota 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.