2000
#133,114
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Moross
A surname relating to Moravia or potentially derived from a topographic term.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 110 Americans carry the last name Moross. That puts it at #156,540 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,115,949 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Moross 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
110
1 in 3,115,949
Census rank
#156,540
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
96
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 96 bearers of the surname Moross in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156540th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Moross, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Moross
The surname Moross is believed to have originated in the region of Moray, Scotland, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic word "mòr," meaning great or large, and "ross," which refers to a promontory or headland. The name likely evolved from a descriptive term for someone who lived near a prominent geographical feature, such as a large promontory or a prominent hill.
In the early records, the name appeared with various spellings, including Moross, Morros, Morres, and Mores. One of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which recorded the names of Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name Moross is listed among the landowners from the county of Moray.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Moross family was prominent in the Scottish Highlands, particularly in the areas around Inverness and Moray. Several members of the family were involved in local governance and held positions of authority within their communities.
One notable individual with the surname Moross was Sir Alexander Moross, who lived in the late 16th century. He was a landowner and played a significant role in the local affairs of Moray. Another prominent figure was John Moross, born in 1612, who served as a magistrate in Inverness and was known for his fair administration of justice.
In the 18th century, the name Moross can be found in various historical records, including parish registers and census documents. One individual of note was James Moross, born in 1734, who was a respected scholar and educator in Aberdeen.
The 19th century saw the Moross family spread beyond Scotland, with some members emigrating to other parts of the British Empire and the United States. One notable individual from this period was Robert Moross, born in 1823, who was a successful businessman and philanthropist in New York City.
Throughout its history, the surname Moross has been associated with various place names and locations in Scotland, such as Moross Castle, a ruined castle located near Inverness, and the village of Moross in Aberdeenshire.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Moross
Among Census respondents with the surname Moross, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Moross 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 Moross surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.5% · 84
- Hispanic or Latino7.3% · 7
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.1% · 2
- Two or more races2.1% · 2
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Moross
Moross 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
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-9 bearers (-7.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 18,418 places
2020
#156,540
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 96
-12 bearers (-11.1%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 5,008 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #133,114 | 117 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.7%) | Down 18,418 places |
| 2020 | #156,540 | 96 | 0.03 | -12 bearers (-11.1%) | Down 5,008 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 Moross 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 | #151,532 | #156,540 | -3.3% |
| Count | 108 | 96 | -11.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -19.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Moross bearers went from 108 to 96 (-11.1% change). The surname moved down 5,008 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #156,540.
FAQ
Moross surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Moross?
Name Census estimates that about 110 living Americans carry the surname Moross. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,115,949 residents.
How common is Moross?
Moross ranks #156,540 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 96 people with the surname Moross. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (110), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Moross.
Has Moross become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Moross went from 108 recorded bearers to 96. That is a decrease of 12 (-11.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #151,532 to #156,540.
What does the Census say about the background of Moross?
Among Census respondents with the surname Moross, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.1%). 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 Moross in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.5% (84 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Moross appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.5%), Hispanic (7.3%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.1%). 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 Moross (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 Moross mean?
A surname relating to Moravia or potentially derived from a topographic term. 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 Moross (0.03 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 common is the surname Moross?
If you just want to know how many Americans have the surname Moross, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.