2010
#147,253
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Mimoso
A surname potentially derived from the Portuguese word "mimoso," meaning delicate or tender.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Mimoso. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mimoso 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
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Mimoso in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mimoso, the largest self-reported group is White at 66.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (30.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mimoso
The surname "MIMOSO" is of Portuguese origin, with roots dating back to the 15th century. It is believed to have originated in the northern region of Portugal, particularly in the areas surrounding the city of Porto. The name is derived from the Portuguese word "mimoso," which means "delicate" or "tender."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "MIMOSO" can be found in a collection of documents from the city of Barcelos, dated around 1480. These records mention a family by the name of Mimoso, who were landowners in the region. The surname was likely derived from a nickname or a descriptive term given to an individual with a gentle or delicate demeanor.
In the 16th century, the name "MIMOSO" appeared in various historical records, including parish registers and legal documents. One notable individual from this time was João Mimoso, a merchant who lived in Lisbon in the late 1500s and was known for his involvement in the city's thriving trade with the colonies.
The 17th century saw the emergence of a branch of the Mimoso family in the Azores archipelago, specifically on the island of Terceira. This branch was known for their involvement in agriculture and the production of locally renowned wines. One prominent figure from this lineage was Manuel Mimoso, who was born in 1647 and served as a respected judge in the island's court system.
In the 18th century, the name "MIMOSO" gained prominence in the literary circles of Portugal. José Mimoso Moreira, born in 1762, was a renowned poet and writer whose works celebrated the beauty of the Portuguese language and its cultural heritage. His poetry collections, such as "Canções de Amor e Saudade," remain influential to this day.
Moving into the 19th century, the Mimoso surname was carried by several notable figures in the fields of politics and academia. António Mimoso Lima, born in 1835, was a prominent lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Portuguese parliament. Additionally, Rodrigo Mimoso Cardoso, born in 1871, was a respected professor of literature and a leading intellectual of his time.
Throughout its history, the surname "MIMOSO" has maintained a strong presence in various regions of Portugal, as well as in Portuguese-speaking communities around the world. While its origins may have been humble, the name has been associated with individuals who have left their mark across different spheres of society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mimoso
Among Census respondents with the surname Mimoso, the largest self-reported group is White at 66.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (30.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Mimoso 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 Mimoso surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White66.7% · 76
- Hispanic or Latino30.7% · 35
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mimoso
Mimoso appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
+2 bearers (+1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 758 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #147,253 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.8%) | Up 758 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 Mimoso 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 | #147,253 | #146,495 | 0.5% |
| Count | 112 | 114 | 1.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mimoso bearers went from 112 to 114 (+1.8% change). The surname moved up 758 positions in the national ranking, going from #147,253 to #146,495.
FAQ
Mimoso surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mimoso?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Mimoso. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Mimoso?
Mimoso ranks #146,495 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 114 people with the surname Mimoso. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), 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 Mimoso.
Has Mimoso become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mimoso went from 112 recorded bearers to 114. That is an increase of 2 (+1.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #147,253 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Mimoso?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mimoso, the largest self-reported group is White at 66.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (30.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). 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 Mimoso in the 2020 Census, accounting for 66.7% (76 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mimoso appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (66.7%), Hispanic (30.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). 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 Mimoso (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 Mimoso mean?
A surname potentially derived from the Portuguese word "mimoso," meaning delicate or tender. 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 Mimoso (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 Mimoso?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.