Family name origins & meanings
- Italian (mainly northern) : topographic name from motta ‘fortified stronghold’, or a habitational name from any of the numerous places named with this word, as for example Motta Camastra and Motta d’Affermo in Messina, Sicily, Mottafollone in Cosenza province, Motta Montecorvino in Foggia; Motta Baluffi in Cremona, Motta di Livenza in Treviso, and Motta Visconti in Milan, etc.
- Portuguese : variant of Mota.