A spatial frequency based capacitive motion sensor and method of operating the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the motion sensor includes an array of sense cells to capacitively sense capacitance variations induced by a surface in proximity to the array. The motion sensor further includes processing circuitry including a multiplexer and a processor to process motion dependent output signals from the array to measure motion of the surface in a direction parallel to a surface of the array. Generally, processor is adapted to execute a program to control the multiplexer to interconnect the sense cells of the array to configure the array as a comb-filter to detect at least one spatial frequency component of the capacitance variations, and to measure motion of the surface in a direction parallel to the array. Other embodiments are also disclosed.