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

Mohawk, 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 Mohawk surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mohawk in America

Mohawk is the 71886th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mohawk surname appeared 271 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 Mohawk.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mohawk 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 Mohawk

The surname MOHAWK originated in North America, specifically among the Mohawk people, one of the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy. The Mohawk people were an indigenous tribe that inhabited the Mohawk Valley in present-day upstate New York. The name is derived from their autonym, which means "the people of the flint."

The earliest recorded mentions of the Mohawk people date back to the 17th century when European explorers and settlers encountered them in the Mohawk Valley region. The Mohawk were known for their skilled warriors and their influential role within the Iroquois Confederacy.

In historical records and manuscripts, the name Mohawk was often spelled in various ways, such as Mohogue, Mohogues, or Mohogans, reflecting the phonetic interpretations of the name by different writers and recorders.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname MOHAWK was Hendrick, also known as Hendrick Peters or Hendrick Theyanoguin, who lived from around 1625 to 1691. He was a prominent Mohawk chief and skilled diplomat who played a significant role in negotiating alliances between the Mohawk and the British during the colonial era.

Another notable figure was Joseph Brant, born in 1742, who was a Mohawk military leader and prominent figure during the American Revolutionary War. He fought alongside the British and played a crucial role in defending Native American interests during the conflict.

In the 19th century, John Norton, born in 1786, was a Mohawk author, translator, and political figure who advocated for the rights of indigenous people in Canada. He was instrumental in preserving Mohawk language and culture.

During the same period, Catharine Sutton, born in 1824, was a Mohawk poet and educator who wrote extensively about her experiences as a Native American woman in the 19th century. Her works provided valuable insights into the lives and struggles of the Mohawk people during that era.

In more recent history, Graham Greene, born in 1952, is a renowned Mohawk actor and filmmaker. He has appeared in numerous films, including "Dances with Wolves" and "The Green Mile," and has been recognized for his contributions to indigenous representation in the entertainment industry.

While the surname MOHAWK has its origins among the indigenous Mohawk people of North America, it has since spread and been adopted by individuals of various ethnic backgrounds, reflecting the diverse and interconnected nature of modern societies.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mohawk

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

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

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

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