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

Misa, 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 Misa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Misa in America

Misa is the 36970th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Misa surname appeared 604 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Misa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Misa 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 Misa

The surname MISA has its origins in Portugal, emerging in the 14th century. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from the town of Misa, located in the municipality of Covilhã, in the district of Castelo Branco. The town's name, in turn, likely stems from the Latin word "missa," meaning "sent" or "dispatched."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the MISA surname can be found in a document from the year 1382, which mentions a certain João Misa, a landowner in the region of Beira Interior. This suggests that the name had already established itself by that time.

In the 15th century, the MISA name appears in the renowned Portuguese historical work, the "Livro das Linhagens" (Book of Lineages), which chronicles the genealogies of notable Portuguese families. This further solidifies the surname's presence in the region during the medieval period.

Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals bore the MISA surname. In the 16th century, Pedro Misa (1490-1562) was a renowned scholar and theologian, serving as a professor at the University of Coimbra. His works on Catholic theology and philosophy were widely influential during the Renaissance era.

In the 18th century, José Misa (1705-1782) was a prominent architect responsible for designing several iconic buildings in Lisbon, including the Church of São Roque and the Convent of Nossa Senhora do Monte.

Another notable figure was Mariana Misa (1820-1895), a philanthropist and activist who dedicated her life to improving the living conditions of the poor and advocating for women's rights. Her efforts contributed to the establishment of several charitable organizations in Portugal.

António Misa (1865-1938) was a celebrated poet and writer, best known for his collection of poems titled "Canções do Crepúsculo" (Songs of Twilight), which captured the essence of the Portuguese rural landscape and traditions.

Finally, in the 20th century, João Misa (1912-1998) was a prominent politician and diplomat, serving as the Portuguese ambassador to several countries and playing a key role in the negotiations that led to Portugal's accession to the European Union.

These examples illustrate the enduring presence of the MISA surname throughout Portuguese history, spanning various fields and disciplines, from academia and architecture to literature and politics.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Misa

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

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

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

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