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

Moon, 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 Moon surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Moon in America

Moon is the 758th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Moon surname appeared 45,528 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 15 people would have the surname Moon.

We can also compare 2010 data for Moon 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 Moon

The surname Moon has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "mone," which means "moon." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname or a descriptive name to someone who had a distinctive appearance or personality associated with the moon.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Moon can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire from 1273, where a person named Walter le Mone is mentioned. The presence of the prefix "le" in this early spelling highlights the name's descriptive nature.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname Moon appeared in various records across England, often with different spellings such as Mone, Moone, and Mune. These variations were common during the period when surnames were still evolving and becoming hereditary.

In the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, the name Moon is listed as Moone, suggesting its spread across different regions of England. Additionally, the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1349 mentions a person named John Mone, further demonstrating the surname's prevalence in medieval England.

The Moon surname has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such person was Sir George Moon, a British diplomat and politician who lived from 1608 to 1679. He served as an ambassador to various European courts and played a significant role in the restoration of the monarchy under Charles II.

Another prominent individual with the surname Moon was William Moon, born in 1818 and died in 1894. He was an English educator and inventor who developed an embossed reading system for the blind, known as Moon's Alphabet or Moon Type. His work greatly contributed to the education and empowerment of individuals with visual impairments.

In the literary world, William Least Heat-Moon, born in 1939, is a renowned American writer and author of the bestselling travelogue "Blue Highways." His surname, Heat-Moon, is a combination of his mother's maiden name (Heat) and his father's surname (Moon).

Matthew Moon, born in 1985, is a British actor known for his roles in various television series and films, including "Yellowjackets" and "Strangers."

Lastly, Sarah Moon, born in 1941, is a highly acclaimed French photographer and filmmaker. Her distinctive style and artistic vision have earned her numerous awards and recognition in the world of fashion and fine art photography.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Moon

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

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

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

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