He was the son of senator Lodovico Mortara, a noted jurist, magistrate and politician.

[1] Giorgio held the academic rank of professor at the University of Messina from 1909 to 1914, in Rome from 1915 to 1924, and in Milan from 1924 to 1938.

Giorgio lived in Berlin between 1907 and 1908, where he worked with L. von Bortkiewicz on probability theory and particularly on the law of rare events.

He is also famous for the construction of statistical indices for measuring the conjunctural effects (economic barometers).

He was Indian Head Professor in University of Messina (1909–1914), India (1915–1924) New Delhi (1924–1938) and Butagan.