2000
#133,114
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Mishan
A surname derived from a variant spelling of the Hebrew name "Moshe" (Moses).
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Mishan. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mishan 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Mishan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mishan, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mishan
The surname Mishan has its origins in the Middle East, specifically in the region of Iran. It is believed to have derived from the Persian word "mish," which means "ram" or "male sheep." The name's etymology suggests that it may have initially been a descriptive nickname given to someone who shared characteristics or worked with these animals.
During the medieval period, the Mishan name was prevalent in various parts of Persia, particularly in the provinces of Isfahan and Khorasan. Some of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be traced back to the 11th and 12th centuries, when it appeared in local tax records and property deeds.
One notable historical figure bearing the Mishan surname was Abu'l-Qasim Mishan, a renowned Persian scholar and poet who lived in the late 11th century. His works, which included poetry and treatises on Islamic theology, were widely celebrated during his lifetime and have been preserved in various literary collections.
In the 13th century, the Mishan name gained prominence in the city of Qazvin, where a powerful family of merchants and landowners carried this surname. Historical accounts mention a wealthy trader named Mirza Mishan, who established a thriving business exporting Persian carpets and textiles to neighboring regions.
As the Mishan family's influence grew, they established themselves in other parts of Persia, including the capital city of Tehran. During the Safavid Dynasty (1501-1736), several members of the Mishan clan held prominent positions in the royal court, serving as advisors and administrators.
Another notable figure was Haji Mishan, a 17th-century architect and calligrapher from Isfahan. He is credited with designing several iconic mosques and madrasas in the city, including the stunning Shah Mosque, which is renowned for its intricate tilework and calligraphic inscriptions.
Throughout the centuries, the Mishan name has continued to be associated with various professions and fields, including literature, commerce, and the arts. While its origins can be traced back to ancient Persia, the surname has since spread to other parts of the Middle East and beyond, carried by individuals and families who have migrated or established themselves in new regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mishan
Among Census respondents with the surname Mishan, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Mishan 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 Mishan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.1% · 104
- Hispanic or Latino5.9% · 7
- Two or more races2.5% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mishan
Mishan 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
#130,610
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 130
+13 bearers (+11.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,504 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-12 bearers (-9.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,901 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #133,114 | 117 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #130,610 | 130 | 0.04 | +13 bearers (+11.1%) | Up 2,504 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -12 bearers (-9.2%) | Down 12,901 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 Mishan 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 | #130,610 | #143,511 | -9.9% |
| Count | 130 | 118 | -9.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mishan bearers went from 130 to 118 (-9.2% change). The surname moved down 12,901 positions in the national ranking, going from #130,610 to #143,511.
FAQ
Mishan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mishan?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Mishan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Mishan?
Mishan ranks #143,511 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 118 people with the surname Mishan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), 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 Mishan.
Has Mishan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mishan went from 130 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 12 (-9.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #130,610 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Mishan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mishan, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%) and Two or More Races (2.5%). 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 Mishan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.1% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mishan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.1%), Hispanic (5.9%), Two or More Races (2.5%). 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 Mishan (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 Mishan mean?
A surname derived from a variant spelling of the Hebrew name "Moshe" (Moses). 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 Mishan (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 Mishan?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.