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

Mims, 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 Mims surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mims in America

Mims is the 1878th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mims surname appeared 19,139 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Mims.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mims 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 Mims

The surname Mims has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "mim," meaning "maternal uncle" or "kinsman." This suggests that the name may have initially been used to identify someone who held a respected position within an extended family or clan.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Mims appears in the Feet of Fines for Essex, dated 1292, which mentions a Roger de Mimes. This document provides evidence that the name had already taken on its modern spelling by the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the Mims surname can be found in various records from the county of Sussex. The Subsidy Rolls of 1327 list a John Mymes, while the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1332 reference a William Mymmes. These variations in spelling were common during this period, as standardized spelling conventions had not yet been established.

The Mims name gained prominence in the 16th century, with several notable individuals bearing the surname. One such figure was Thomas Mims (c. 1510-1590), an English clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Huntingdon from 1568 until his death.

Another notable bearer of the Mims name was Sir John Mims (1572-1638), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for East Grinstead in Sussex. He was knighted by King James I in 1617 and played a significant role in local affairs during his lifetime.

In the 17th century, the Mims surname spread beyond its English origins. The first recorded instance of the name in America dates back to 1635, when Richard Mims arrived in Virginia from England and established himself as a planter.

The 18th century saw the rise of another prominent figure with the Mims surname: Joseph Mims (1737-1808), a Virginia planter and Revolutionary War veteran. He served as a captain in the Continental Army and was present at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown in 1781.

As the centuries progressed, the Mims surname continued to be represented by individuals of note. In the 19th century, Reverend John Mims (1800-1876) was a prominent Baptist minister and educator in South Carolina, founding the Furman Theological Institute, which later became Furman University.

Throughout its history, the Mims surname has been associated with various place names, such as Mims Ecclesia in Norfolk, Mims Court in Sussex, and Mims Chapel in Virginia. These locations likely derived their names from individuals bearing the Mims surname who held significant roles or owned land in those areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mims

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

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 Mims 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 Mims 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 Mims was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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