2000
#137,816
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Mewshaw
A locational surname denoting someone from a place called Mewshaw.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Mewshaw. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mewshaw 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
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Mewshaw in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mewshaw, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.8%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mewshaw
The surname Mewshaw is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from a locational name, referring to a person who hailed from a particular place. One theory suggests that Mewshaw derives from the Old English words "meaw" and "sceaga," meaning "meadow" and "small wood" respectively, indicating a connection to a settlement near a wooded meadow.
The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. In the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, compiled in 1273, there is a reference to a person named Willelmus de Meweshawe. Another early mention is found in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a certain John de Mewshagh is documented in 1317.
During the medieval era, the name Mewshaw underwent various spelling variations, reflecting the inconsistencies in record-keeping and pronunciation at the time. Some of these variations include Mewshawe, Meushagh, Meushaugh, and Meushay. The name's evolution is also evident in its association with certain place names, such as Mewshaw in Cheshire and Mewshill in Northamptonshire.
Notable individuals bearing the Mewshaw surname throughout history include:
1. John Mewshaw (c. 1560 - 1636), an English merchant and landowner from Yorkshire, known for his involvement in the wool trade.
2. William Mewshaw (1683 - 1746), a prominent Quaker minister and author from Pennsylvania, who wrote several religious works.
3. Elizabeth Mewshaw (1727 - 1801), an English novelist and playwright, recognized for her satirical works exploring societal issues of the time.
4. Samuel Mewshaw (1802 - 1878), an American politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
5. Archibald Mewshaw (1860 - 1935), a British explorer and naturalist, renowned for his expeditions to the Amazon rainforest and his contributions to the study of indigenous flora and fauna.
While the Mewshaw surname may not be as prominent as some others, its origins and historical journey reflect the rich tapestry of English toponymic names, shaped by the linguistic and cultural influences of various regions over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mewshaw
Among Census respondents with the surname Mewshaw, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.8%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Mewshaw 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 Mewshaw surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.6% · 112
- Hispanic or Latino5.8% · 7
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mewshaw
Mewshaw 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
#126,765
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 135
+23 bearers (+20.5%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 11,051 places
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
-14 bearers (-10.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 14,544 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #137,816 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #126,765 | 135 | 0.05 | +23 bearers (+20.5%) | Up 11,051 places |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | -14 bearers (-10.4%) | Down 14,544 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 Mewshaw 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 | #126,765 | #141,309 | -11.5% |
| Count | 135 | 121 | -10.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -19.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mewshaw bearers went from 135 to 121 (-10.4% change). The surname moved down 14,544 positions in the national ranking, going from #126,765 to #141,309.
FAQ
Mewshaw surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mewshaw?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Mewshaw. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Mewshaw?
Mewshaw ranks #141,309 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 121 people with the surname Mewshaw. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), 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 Mewshaw.
Has Mewshaw become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mewshaw went from 135 recorded bearers to 121. That is a decrease of 14 (-10.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #126,765 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Mewshaw?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mewshaw, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.8%) and Two or More Races (1.7%). 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 Mewshaw in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.6% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mewshaw appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.6%), Hispanic (5.8%), Two or More Races (1.7%). 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 Mewshaw (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 Mewshaw mean?
A locational surname denoting someone from a place called Mewshaw. 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 Mewshaw (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 Americans have the surname Mewshaw?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.