2000
#9,414
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,169
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.17
Rare Last name
Moline
Derived from a place name referring to a mill or someone living near a mill.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,487 Americans carry the last name Moline. That puts it at #10,101 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.02 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 98,295 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Moline 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
3.5K
1 in 98,295
Census rank
#10,101
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,041 bearers of the surname Moline in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.02 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10101st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Moline, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.8%) and Black (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Moline
The surname Moline has its origins in France, tracing back to the early medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "moline," which referred to a windmill or watermill. This suggests that the name was likely initially associated with individuals who lived near or operated such mills.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a survey conducted in 1086 on the orders of William the Conqueror. It mentions a landowner named Radulfus de Molendino, which translates to Ralph of the Mill, indicating a connection to the Moline surname.
During the 12th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Molinarii, Molinario, and Molinarius, all referring to the occupation of a miller. These variations were common in medieval times, as surnames were often based on professions or locations.
In the 13th century, the name took on the more modern spelling of Moline, as seen in records from the region of Normandy, France. This area was known for its numerous mills, which may have contributed to the prevalence of the surname in that region.
One notable figure with the surname Moline was Pierre Moline, a French writer and philosopher who lived from 1568 to 1658. He was known for his works on ethics and moral philosophy, including his treatise "De la Morale Chrétienne" (On Christian Morality).
Another historical figure was Jean-Baptiste Moline, a French architect born in 1618. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in Paris, including the Church of Saint-Louis-en-l'Île and the Hôtel de Beauvais.
In England, the name Moline can be traced back to the 14th century, likely introduced by Norman settlers after the Norman Conquest in 1066. One notable English bearer of the name was Sir John Moline, a Member of Parliament who lived in the late 15th century.
During the 16th century, the Moline surname spread to other parts of Europe, including Italy and Spain. In Italy, the name was sometimes spelled Molino, reflecting the Italian word for mill.
One significant Italian figure with the surname was Antonio Molino, a renowned Venetian painter and architect who lived from 1628 to 1700. He is best known for his works in the Baroque style, including his frescoes in the Church of San Nicolò da Tolentino in Venice.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Moline
Among Census respondents with the surname Moline, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.8%) and Black (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Moline 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 Moline surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White82.7% · 2,516
- Hispanic or Latino7.8% · 238
- Black or African American4.3% · 132
- Two or more races3.3% · 100
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.3% · 40
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 15
Timeline
Historical Census data for Moline
Moline 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
#9,821
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,296
+127 bearers (+4.0%)
Per 100,000 1.12
Rank movement Down 407 places
2020
#10,101
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,041
-255 bearers (-7.7%)
Per 100,000 1.02
Rank movement Down 280 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,414 | 3,169 | 1.17 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,821 | 3,296 | 1.12 | +127 bearers (+4.0%) | Down 407 places |
| 2020 | #10,101 | 3,041 | 1.02 | -255 bearers (-7.7%) | Down 280 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 Moline 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 | #9,821 | #10,101 | -2.9% |
| Count | 3,296 | 3,041 | -7.7% |
| Per 100K | 1.12 | 1.02 | -9.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Moline bearers went from 3,296 to 3,041 (-7.7% change). The surname moved down 280 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,821 to #10,101.
FAQ
Moline surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Moline?
Name Census estimates that about 3,487 living Americans carry the surname Moline. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 98,295 residents.
How common is Moline?
Moline ranks #10,101 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.02 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,041 people with the surname Moline. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,487), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.02 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.02 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Moline.
Has Moline become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Moline went from 3,296 recorded bearers to 3,041. That is a decrease of 255 (-7.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,821 to #10,101.
What does the Census say about the background of Moline?
Among Census respondents with the surname Moline, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.8%) and Black (4.3%). 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 Moline in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.7% (2,516 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Moline appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (82.7%), Hispanic (7.8%), Black (4.3%). 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 Moline (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 Moline mean?
Derived from a place name referring to a mill or someone living near a mill. 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 Moline (1.02 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 Moline?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.