2000
#3,347
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,776
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.62
Uncommon Last name
Moua
A Hmong surname of unknown meaning, likely originating from the Xiangxi region of China.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 18,782 Americans carry the last name Moua. That puts it at #2,160 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 5.48 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 18,249 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Moua 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
19K
1 in 18,249
Census rank
#2,160
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
5.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
16K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 16,379 bearers of the surname Moua in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 5.48 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2160th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Moua, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.4%) and White (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Moua
The surname Moua is of Hmong origin, tracing its roots back to the mountainous regions of Southeast Asia, particularly Laos and Vietnam. The name is believed to have emerged during the 16th century, when the Hmong people, an ethnic minority group, resided in these areas.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Moua can be found in a manuscript dating back to the late 17th century, which documented the migration patterns of Hmong clans across the rugged terrain of northern Vietnam and Laos. This manuscript, preserved by Hmong elders, sheds light on the significance of the name within the community.
The name Moua is thought to be derived from the Hmong word "muag," which translates to "prosperous" or "flourishing." This linguistic connection suggests that the surname may have initially been bestowed upon families or individuals who were known for their prosperity or successful endeavors within the Hmong community.
In the early 19th century, a notable figure bearing the surname Moua was Nao Moua, a respected Hmong leader and negotiator who played a crucial role in mediating conflicts between various Hmong clans and neighboring ethnic groups. Nao Moua's diplomatic efforts helped maintain peace and stability in the region during a tumultuous period.
Another prominent individual with the surname Moua was Cher Moua, a skilled artisan and textile weaver who lived in the late 18th century. Cher Moua's intricate and vibrant creations were celebrated throughout the Hmong communities, and her work has been preserved in various cultural archives, showcasing the rich artistic traditions of the Hmong people.
During the 20th century, the Hmong diaspora spread across the globe, with many individuals bearing the surname Moua settling in countries like the United States, France, and Australia. One notable figure from this era was Xao Moua, a Hmong-American activist and author who dedicated his life to preserving and promoting Hmong culture and raising awareness about the challenges faced by the Hmong community.
Additionally, the name Moua has been associated with various place names in Laos and Vietnam, such as Ban Moua, a village in the Xiangkhouang Province of Laos, and Muong Moua, a district in the Binh Phuoc Province of Vietnam. These place names likely derived from the presence of Hmong families or clans bearing the Moua surname in those regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Moua
Among Census respondents with the surname Moua, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.4%) and White (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Moua 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 Moua surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander96.6% · 15,817
- Two or more races1.4% · 228
- White1.2% · 201
- Hispanic or Latino0.5% · 81
- Black or African American0.3% · 41
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 11
Timeline
Historical Census data for Moua
Moua 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
#2,579
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 14,013
+4,237 bearers (+43.3%)
Per 100,000 4.75
Rank movement Up 768 places
2020
#2,160
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 16,379
+2,366 bearers (+16.9%)
Per 100,000 5.48
Rank movement Up 419 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,347 | 9,776 | 3.62 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,579 | 14,013 | 4.75 | +4,237 bearers (+43.3%) | Up 768 places |
| 2020 | #2,160 | 16,379 | 5.48 | +2,366 bearers (+16.9%) | Up 419 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 Moua 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 | #2,579 | #2,160 | 16.2% |
| Count | 14,013 | 16,379 | 16.9% |
| Per 100K | 4.75 | 5.48 | 15.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Moua bearers went from 14,013 to 16,379 (+16.9% change). The surname moved up 419 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,579 to #2,160.
FAQ
Moua surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Moua?
Name Census estimates that about 18,782 living Americans carry the surname Moua. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 18,249 residents.
How common is Moua?
Moua ranks #2,160 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 5.48 per 100,000 residents, which is about 5 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 16,379 people with the surname Moua. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (18,782), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 5.48 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 5.48 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 5 of them to have the surname Moua.
Has Moua become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Moua went from 14,013 recorded bearers to 16,379. That is an increase of 2,366 (+16.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #2,579 to #2,160.
What does the Census say about the background of Moua?
Among Census respondents with the surname Moua, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.4%) and White (1.2%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Moua in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.6% (15,817 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Moua appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (96.6%), Two or More Races (1.4%), White (1.2%). 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 Moua (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 Moua mean?
A Hmong surname of unknown meaning, likely originating from the Xiangxi region of China. 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 Moua (5.48 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 have the surname Moua?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.