2010
#127,494
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 134
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Mocombe
A surname originating from French indicating someone from the village of Mocombe.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Mocombe. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mocombe 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Mocombe in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mocombe, the largest self-reported group is Black at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.7%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mocombe
The surname Mocombe originated in the Caribbean island nation of Haiti during the early 19th century. It is believed to have derived from the Taíno word "mocambo," which referred to a settlement or village established by escaped enslaved Africans. These settlements, known as "mocambos" or "maroon villages," served as havens for those seeking freedom from the oppressive system of slavery.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Mocombe can be traced back to the Haitian Revolution (1791-1804), a pivotal event that led to the establishment of the first free Black republic in the Western Hemisphere. During this period, many formerly enslaved Africans adopted surnames, and it is likely that some chose Mocombe as a symbolic representation of their newfound freedom and connection to the maroon communities that had resisted slavery.
One of the earliest documented figures with the surname Mocombe was Jean-Baptiste Mocombe, a prominent military leader and general during the Haitian Revolution. Born in the late 18th century, he played a crucial role in the battles against French colonial forces, ultimately contributing to Haiti's independence.
In the decades following the revolution, the surname Mocombe gained further prominence in Haiti. Notable figures included Louis Mocombe (1808-1879), a politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and later as the President of Haiti for a brief period in 1876.
Another significant individual was Marie Mocombe (1818-1892), a renowned educator and advocate for women's rights. She founded several schools in Haiti and played a pivotal role in promoting education and empowerment for women during a time when such opportunities were limited.
Beyond Haiti, the surname Mocombe also found its way to other parts of the Caribbean and the Americas, likely through the migration of Haitian individuals and their descendants. For instance, in the early 20th century, Joseph Mocombe (1892-1971), a Haitian-American journalist and activist, gained recognition for his work in advocating for civil rights and social justice in the United States.
Throughout its history, the surname Mocombe has carried a rich cultural significance, representing the resilience and determination of those who fought against oppression and sought to establish their own communities and identities. While its origins can be traced back to the maroon settlements of Haiti, the name has transcended geographical boundaries, serving as a reminder of the enduring spirit of resistance and the pursuit of freedom.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mocombe
Among Census respondents with the surname Mocombe, the largest self-reported group is Black at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.7%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Mocombe 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 Mocombe surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American88.2% · 105
- Hispanic or Latino6.7% · 8
- Two or more races2.5% · 3
- White1.7% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mocombe
Mocombe 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
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
-15 bearers (-11.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,294 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #127,494 | 134 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | -15 bearers (-11.2%) | Down 15,294 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 Mocombe 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 | #127,494 | #142,788 | -12.0% |
| Count | 134 | 119 | -11.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -20.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mocombe bearers went from 134 to 119 (-11.2% change). The surname moved down 15,294 positions in the national ranking, going from #127,494 to #142,788.
FAQ
Mocombe surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mocombe?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Mocombe. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Mocombe?
Mocombe ranks #142,788 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 119 people with the surname Mocombe. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), 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 Mocombe.
Has Mocombe become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mocombe went from 134 recorded bearers to 119. That is a decrease of 15 (-11.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #127,494 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Mocombe?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mocombe, the largest self-reported group is Black at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.7%) 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Mocombe in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.2% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mocombe appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (88.2%), Hispanic (6.7%), 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 Mocombe (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 Mocombe mean?
A surname originating from French indicating someone from the village of Mocombe. 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 Mocombe (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 Mocombe?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.