2010
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Mishaw
A form of the surname Mitchell derived from an old Germanic personal name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Mishaw. That puts it at #154,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,904,698 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mishaw 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
118
1 in 2,904,698
Census rank
#154,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
103
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 103 bearers of the surname Mishaw in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mishaw, the largest self-reported group is Black at 61.2%. The next largest groups are White (33.0%) and Two or More Races (4.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mishaw
The surname MISHAW has its origins in the northern regions of England, particularly Yorkshire and Lancashire, dating back to the late medieval period around the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "mið" and "sceaga," which together translate to "amid the woods" or "in the midst of the forest," suggesting that the name's bearers may have resided in or near wooded areas.
The earliest documented instances of the MISHAW surname can be traced back to the Yorkshire area, where it appears in various records and historical documents from the 14th and 15th centuries. One notable mention is found in the Wakefield Court Rolls of 1379, which references a Robert Mishaw as a landowner in the region.
In the 16th century, the MISHAW name appears to have spread throughout northern England, with records indicating families bearing the surname in counties such as Cheshire and Lancashire. The variations in spelling, including Mishawe, Mishough, and Mishhaw, were common during this period due to the inconsistencies in record-keeping and the lack of standardized spelling conventions.
Among the notable historical figures bearing the MISHAW surname was Sir John Mishaw (1540-1612), a prominent English merchant and diplomat who served as the ambassador to the Ottoman Empire under Queen Elizabeth I. His diplomatic efforts played a crucial role in establishing trade relations between England and the Ottoman Empire.
Another individual of note was William Mishaw (1675-1742), a renowned English clockmaker and horologist who contributed significantly to the development of precision timekeeping devices during the early 18th century. His intricate clocks and watches were highly sought after by the wealthy elite of the time.
In the realm of literature, the MISHAW surname is associated with the playwright and poet, Mary Mishaw (1735-1809). Her works, though lesser-known today, were celebrated during the Romantic period and often explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition.
The name MISHAW also found its way into the annals of military history with the exploits of Captain James Mishaw (1802-1879), a British army officer who served in the Crimean War. His bravery and leadership during the Siege of Sevastopol earned him numerous accolades and commendations.
While the MISHAW surname may not be among the most widespread today, its origins and historical significance in northern England have left an indelible mark on the region's cultural heritage, spanning centuries and encompassing various facets of society, from commerce and diplomacy to the arts and military endeavors.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mishaw
Among Census respondents with the surname Mishaw, the largest self-reported group is Black at 61.2%. The next largest groups are White (33.0%) and Two or More Races (4.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Mishaw 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 Mishaw surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American61.2% · 63
- White33.0% · 34
- Two or more races4.9% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mishaw
Mishaw 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
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-6 bearers (-5.5%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 3,730 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | -6 bearers (-5.5%) | Down 3,730 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 Mishaw 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 | #150,452 | #154,182 | -2.5% |
| Count | 109 | 103 | -5.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mishaw bearers went from 109 to 103 (-5.5% change). The surname moved down 3,730 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #154,182.
FAQ
Mishaw surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mishaw?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Mishaw. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Mishaw?
Mishaw ranks #154,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 103 people with the surname Mishaw. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Mishaw.
Has Mishaw become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mishaw went from 109 recorded bearers to 103. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #150,452 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Mishaw?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mishaw, the largest self-reported group is Black at 61.2%. The next largest groups are White (33.0%) and Two or More Races (4.9%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Mishaw in the 2020 Census, accounting for 61.2% (63 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mishaw appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (61.2%), White (33.0%), Two or More Races (4.9%). 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 Mishaw (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 Mishaw mean?
A form of the surname Mitchell derived from an old Germanic personal name. 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 Mishaw (0.03 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 are called Mishaw?
Find out how many people have the last name Mishaw on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.