Mostow
An occupational surname possibly derived from the German "most," meaning must or grape juice.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 171 Americans carry the last name Mostow. That puts it at #120,187 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,004,411 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mostow surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
171
1 in 2,004,411
Census rank
#120,187
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
144
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 144 bearers of the surname Mostow in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 120187th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mostow, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.5%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mostow
The surname Mostow has its origins in Central and Eastern Europe, tracing back to the 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Polish word "most," which means "bridge," or the German word "moster," meaning "monastery." Some historians suggest that the name could have been associated with individuals who lived near a bridge or a monastery.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mostow can be found in the Polish town of Kazimierz Dolny, where a merchant named Jan Mostow was mentioned in a local registry in 1498. The surname was also documented in the German region of Saxony, with a reference to a family bearing the name Mostow residing in the town of Freiberg in the late 16th century.
In the 17th century, the Mostow surname appeared in several historical records across Eastern Europe. Notably, a Russian nobleman named Ivan Mostow was recorded as owning vast lands in the Novgorod region during the reign of Tsar Alexis I (1629-1676).
As the Mostow family spread across Europe, the name underwent various spelling variations, such as Mostoff, Mostof, and Mosztow. One notable figure from this period was the Polish writer and philosopher, Jakub Mostow (1678-1744), whose works explored themes of ethics and morality.
In the 19th century, the Mostow surname gained prominence in the United States, with immigrants from Central and Eastern Europe settling in various cities. One notable American with this surname was Samuel Mostow (1854-1921), a successful businessman and philanthropist in New York City, who founded the Mostow Foundation for underprivileged children.
Other notable individuals with the Mostow surname include:
1. Andrzej Mostow (1914-1992), a Polish mathematician and professor at the University of Warsaw.
2. Martin Mostow (1923-2017), an American physicist and academic at Yale University.
3. George Mostow (1923-2017), an American mathematician known for his contributions to differential geometry.
4. Elise Mostow (1931-2006), an American artist and sculptor recognized for her abstract works.
5. Steven Mostow (born 1954), an American composer and musician renowned for his film and television scores.
While the Mostow surname may have originated from humble beginnings, its legacy has traversed continents and centuries, leaving an indelible mark on various fields, from academia and the arts to business and philanthropy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mostow
Among Census respondents with the surname Mostow, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.5%.
The bar chart below shows how Mostow bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Mostow surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.5%
- Unknown or suppressed3.5%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Mostow surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #104,257 | #120,187 | -15.3% |
| Count | 159 | 144 | -9.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.05 | -16.7% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Mostow bearers went from 159 to 144 (-9.4% change). The surname moved down 15,930 positions in the national ranking, going from #104,257 to #120,187.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Mostow
FAQ
Mostow surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Mostow?
The surname Mostow holds position #120,187 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 171 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Mostow surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mostow, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.5%. These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.