2000
#11,388
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,537
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.94
Rare Last name
Mau
A Chinese surname meaning "horse" or a German nickname for someone with a dark complexion.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,614 Americans carry the last name Mau. That puts it at #9,809 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 94,841 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mau surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
3.6K
1 in 94,841
Census rank
#9,809
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,152 bearers of the surname Mau in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9809th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mau, the largest self-reported group is White at 57.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (29.8%) and Two or More Races (6.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mau
The surname Mau originates from Germany, with its earliest known roots dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Middle High German word "mü," which means "gull" or "seagull." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a nickname for someone who lived near the coast or had a physical or behavioral resemblance to a seagull.
Historical records indicate that the name Mau appeared in various regions of Germany, particularly in the northern and central areas. One of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in the town of Lübeck, where a merchant named Johann Mau was recorded in the city's archives in the year 1287.
In the early 15th century, a notable figure named Hans Mau was mentioned in the chronicles of the city of Cologne. He was a respected artisan and guild member who played a role in shaping the city's craftsmanship traditions during that period.
Another significant individual bearing the surname Mau was Martin Mau, a theologian and scholar who lived from 1542 to 1610. He was a prominent figure in the Protestant Reformation and served as a professor at the University of Wittenberg, where he taught and wrote extensively on religious subjects.
During the 16th century, the name Mau also appeared in various regions of Switzerland, likely due to migration patterns from neighboring German territories. One notable Swiss figure was Hans Rudolf Mau, a military commander who served in the Swiss Guard during the late 1500s.
In the 17th century, the name Mau gained prominence in the Netherlands, where a family of that name established themselves as successful merchants and traders. One of the most renowned members of this Dutch branch was Willem Mau, a wealthy merchant and shipping magnate who lived from 1628 to 1701.
While the surname Mau has its origins in Germany and the surrounding regions, it has since spread to various parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. However, its deep roots and historical significance remain firmly tied to its Germanic heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mau
Among Census respondents with the surname Mau, the largest self-reported group is White at 57.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (29.8%) and Two or More Races (6.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Mau bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Mau surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White57.5% · 1,812
- Asian and Pacific Islander29.8% · 938
- Two or more races6.5% · 205
- Hispanic or Latino4.9% · 155
- Black or African American1.0% · 33
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mau
Mau appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#10,541
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,042
+505 bearers (+19.9%)
Per 100,000 1.03
Rank movement Up 847 places
2020
#9,809
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,152
+110 bearers (+3.6%)
Per 100,000 1.05
Rank movement Up 732 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,388 | 2,537 | 0.94 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,541 | 3,042 | 1.03 | +505 bearers (+19.9%) | Up 847 places |
| 2020 | #9,809 | 3,152 | 1.05 | +110 bearers (+3.6%) | Up 732 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Mau surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #10,541 | #9,809 | 6.9% |
| Count | 3,042 | 3,152 | 3.6% |
| Per 100K | 1.03 | 1.05 | 2.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mau bearers went from 3,042 to 3,152 (+3.6% change). The surname moved up 732 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,541 to #9,809.
FAQ
Mau surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mau?
Name Census estimates that about 3,614 living Americans carry the surname Mau. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 94,841 residents.
How common is Mau?
Mau ranks #9,809 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.05 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,152 people with the surname Mau. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,614), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.05 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Mau.
Has Mau become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mau went from 3,042 recorded bearers to 3,152. That is an increase of 110 (+3.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #10,541 to #9,809.
What does the Census say about the background of Mau?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mau, the largest self-reported group is White at 57.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (29.8%) and Two or More Races (6.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Mau in the 2020 Census, accounting for 57.5% (1,812 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mau appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (57.5%), Asian/Pacific Islander (29.8%), Two or More Races (6.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Mau (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Mau mean?
A Chinese surname meaning "horse" or a German nickname for someone with a dark complexion. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Mau (1.05 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Mau?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Mau on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.