The surname Mota was derived from the word Italian word motta, which is a rising up of the land or a large heap of stones, debris, and sand, like those found in areas of Southern Italy.
The surname Mota was first found in Calabria, known to many people as located at "the tip of the Italian boot." Records of the name are found in the 12th century, when Carlo di Mottola was a
and was Lord of Mottola, near Otranto.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mota research. More information is included under the topic Early Mota History in all our PDF Extended History products
and printed products wherever possible.
Surnames that originated in Italy are characterized by an enormous number of spelling variations
. Some of these are derived from regional traditions and dialects. Northern names, for instance, often end in "o", while southern names tend to end in "i". Other variations come from the fact the medieval scribes tended to spell according to the sound of words, rather than any particular set of rules. The recorded variations of Mota include Motta, La Motta, Moti, Mota, Mottino, Motino and many more.
Prominent among bearers of this surname in early times was the Mottola family in Calabria, who were Lords of many feudal
territories during the 16th century. With the Amato feud... Another 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Mota Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.