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

Moo, 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 Moo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Moo in America

Moo is the 16064th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Moo surname appeared 1,803 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Moo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Moo 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 Moo

The surname "MOO" originated in England during the late medieval period, around the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "mowe," which referred to a hillock or small hill. This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who resided near or on a small hill or mound.

Records from the 13th and 14th centuries show various spellings of the name, including "Mowe," "Mow," and "Moo." One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was John Mowe, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1285.

The name appears in several historical documents, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it is listed as "Mou" and "Mowe." Additionally, the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings in England compiled in 1086, includes references to place names that may have influenced the surname, such as "Moue" and "Muda."

Notable individuals with the surname "MOO" throughout history include:

1. William Moo (c. 1520 - 1592), an English composer and organist during the Renaissance period, known for his sacred music.
2. John Moo (1611 - 1670), a prominent English lawyer and Member of Parliament during the English Civil War and Commonwealth period.
3. Mary Moo (1678 - 1744), an English author and poet, best known for her collection of sonnets titled "Nature's Musings."
4. Robert Moo (1789 - 1862), a Scottish-born inventor and engineer who developed improvements in steam engine technology.
5. Elizabeth Moo (1824 - 1901), an American educator and pioneer in the field of women's education, founding one of the first colleges for women in the United States.

It is worth noting that the surname "MOO" may have also been influenced by certain place names or locations, such as the village of Mow Cop in Cheshire, England, or the River Mow in Gloucestershire. However, the exact origins and connections remain uncertain due to the limited historical records available.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Moo

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

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

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

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