Show ContentsMottola History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Italian Mottola name is a habitational name derived from the place name Mottola, in Taranto province.

Early Origins of the Mottola family

The surname Mottola was first found in Calabria a territorial district of Italy. Ancient Calabria was in Lecce. Modern Calabria is in the southern extremity of Italy coasting the straits of Messina. Reggio and Messina are the cities of note. This beautiful region produces wine. Olive oil and fruit. Reggio was heavily bombed during WWII because of its strategical link with Sicily. In those ancient times only persons of rank, the podesta, clergy, city officials, army officers, artists, landowners were entered into the records. To be recorded at this time, at the beginning of recorded history, was of itself a great distinction and indicative of noble ancestry.

Early History of the Mottola family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mottola research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Mottola History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mottola Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Mottola, Motola, Motoli, Mottoli, Mottolo, Motolo, Mottoletti, Mottolini, Mottela, Motela, Motteli, Mottelo, Moteli and many more.

Early Notables of the Mottola family

By the end of the 15th century, southern Italy was known as the Kingdom of Naples, ruled by the house of Aragon. By the early eighteenth century, the Austrians had gained much of the region, under the rule of the Austrian emperor Kales VI. However, in 1734, Spaniard Don Carlos defeated the Austrians, and the region came under Spanish rule once more. In 1799, the French invaded Naples and in 1806, Napoleon's brother Joseph was made king, but this hold on Italy was not to last. In 1813 the Congress Of Vienna restored pre-Napoleonic rule. Among prominent bearers of this surname in early times were:

  • the Mottola family of Calabria


United States Mottola migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Mottola Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Guy Mottola, who landed in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1887 1
  • Amato Mottola, age 38, who arrived at New York on May 14, 1888, aboard the "Cachar"
  • Filomena Mottola, age 14, who arrived in America on Dec. 14, 1880, aboard the "Italia"
  • Alfonso Mottola, age 26, who arrived in New York on May 7, 1890 aboard the "Alesia"

Contemporary Notables of the name Mottola (post 1700) +

  • Charles Edward Mottola (b. 1971), American Major League Baseball player
  • Thomas Daniel Mottola (b. 1949), American music executive
  • Tony Mottola (1918-2004), American guitarist


  1. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook