2000
#149,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Mebruer
A locational surname referring to someone from the French town of Mebruer.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Mebruer. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mebruer 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Mebruer in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mebruer, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.4%. The next largest groups are Black (3.7%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mebruer
The surname MEBRUER has its origins in the northern regions of France, specifically in the area around the city of Lille. The name first emerged in the 13th century and is believed to have derived from the Old French word "mebruer," which means "to wound" or "to bruise." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname given to someone with a particular injury or physical characteristic.
Early records of the name can be found in various medieval documents, including the tax rolls and legal registers of the Flemish region. One of the earliest known instances of the name appears in a 1296 charter from the town of Douai, where a certain "Jehan Mebruer" is mentioned as a witness.
By the 14th century, the name had spread to other parts of northern France and the Low Countries. In 1387, a "Gillebert Mebruer" is recorded as a merchant in the city of Bruges, while a "Jacques Mebruer" is listed as a landowner in the village of Comines in 1412.
Over the centuries, the spelling of the name has undergone various modifications, with variations such as "Mebruier," "Mebruwer," and "Mebruwier" appearing in historical documents. Some of these alternate spellings may have been influenced by local dialects or regional pronunciation.
One notable figure bearing the MEBRUER surname was Jean Mebruer (1505-1578), a French poet and playwright from Arras. His works, including the play "La Tragédie de la Vengeance," were popular in the 16th century and contributed to the development of French Renaissance literature.
Another individual of note was Marguerite Mebruer (1618-1692), a renowned midwife in the city of Lille. Her expertise and dedication to her profession earned her widespread respect, and she is mentioned in several contemporaneous accounts as a skilled practitioner.
In the 18th century, a certain François Mebruer (1732-1801) gained recognition as a master clockmaker in the town of Bailleul. His intricate timepieces were highly sought after by affluent patrons, and several examples of his work can still be found in museums and private collections.
The name also found its way to other parts of Europe through migration and trade. In the 19th century, a German branch of the family emerged, with Carl Mebruer (1829-1903) establishing himself as a successful merchant in Hamburg.
Another noteworthy figure was Émile Mebruer (1871-1942), a French architect who contributed to the design of several prominent buildings in Paris, including the Palais de Chaillot and the Petit Palais.
While the MEBRUER name has a relatively limited distribution compared to some more common surnames, its legacy can be traced through various historical records, spanning multiple centuries and regions, primarily in northern France and the Low Countries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mebruer
Among Census respondents with the surname Mebruer, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.4%. The next largest groups are Black (3.7%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Mebruer 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 Mebruer surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.4% · 101
- Black or African American3.7% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mebruer
Mebruer 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
#157,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
+2 bearers (+2.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 7,906 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
+4 bearers (+3.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,595 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #149,328 | 101 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | +2 bearers (+2.0%) | Down 7,906 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.9%) | Up 5,595 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 Mebruer 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 | #157,234 | #151,639 | 3.6% |
| Count | 103 | 107 | 3.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 19.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mebruer bearers went from 103 to 107 (+3.9% change). The surname moved up 5,595 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #151,639.
FAQ
Mebruer surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mebruer?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Mebruer. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Mebruer?
Mebruer ranks #151,639 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 107 people with the surname Mebruer. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Mebruer.
Has Mebruer become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mebruer went from 103 recorded bearers to 107. That is an increase of 4 (+3.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Mebruer?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mebruer, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.4%. The next largest groups are Black (3.7%) and Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Mebruer in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.4% (101 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mebruer appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.4%), Black (3.7%), Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Mebruer (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 Mebruer mean?
A locational surname referring to someone from the French town of Mebruer. 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 Mebruer (0.04 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 share the surname Mebruer?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.