Find out how popular the last name Mauer is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Mauer.

Mauer, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Mauer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mauer in America

Mauer is the 9834th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mauer surname appeared 3,292 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Mauer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mauer to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Mauer

The surname Mauer has its origins in Germany, tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the German word "Mauer," which translates to "wall" or "rampart." This name is believed to have been initially given as a descriptive surname to individuals who lived near a town wall or worked as builders or masons constructing walls and fortifications.

In the early Middle Ages, when surnames were first adopted, they often referred to a person's occupation, location, or a distinguishing physical characteristic. The name Mauer likely emerged as a way to identify someone closely associated with walls, either as a resident near a town's defensive walls or as a skilled craftsman involved in their construction or maintenance.

Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mauer can be found in medieval German documents and records, such as the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae and the Annales Fuldenses, dating back to the 9th and 10th centuries. These ancient manuscripts mention individuals bearing variations of the name, including Maurarius, Murator, and Murerarius, all derived from the Latin word "murarius," meaning "mason" or "wall-builder."

One notable early bearer of the name was Johannes Mauer, a prominent stonemason and architect who lived in the 14th century. He is credited with the construction of several churches and castles in the German states of Bavaria and Saxony, including the renowned Wartburg Castle in Eisenach, built between 1313 and 1318.

In the 15th century, the name Mauer appeared in the Bräutigamsbücher, a collection of records documenting marriages in the city of Leipzig, Germany. One entry from 1467 mentions a Hans Mauer, a tradesman who resided within the city walls.

Another notable figure with the surname Mauer was Johann Christoph Mauer, a German artist and engraver from the 18th century. Born in 1733 in Nuremberg, he gained recognition for his intricate copperplate engravings and etchings, many of which depicted architectural subjects, including city walls and fortifications.

During the 19th century, the Mauer surname was associated with several individuals who made significant contributions in various fields. For example, Georg Ludwig von Mauer (1789-1857) was a Prussian military officer and statesman who served as the Minister of War from 1847 to 1848.

Throughout its history, the surname Mauer has been closely linked to the concept of walls and fortifications, reflecting the occupations and geographical associations of its earliest bearers. While the name has spread far beyond its German origins, its etymology remains rooted in the medieval era, offering a glimpse into the lives and trades of those who first carried this distinctive surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mauer

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Mauer.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Mauer was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Mauer has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Mauer was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Mauer, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!