2000
#135,837
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Mouawad
An occupational surname possibly derived from an Arabic term meaning "sharpener" or "grinder."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 248 Americans carry the last name Mouawad. That puts it at #91,558 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.07 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,382,074 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mouawad 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
248
1 in 1,382,074
Census rank
#91,558
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
216
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 216 bearers of the surname Mouawad in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.07 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 91558th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mouawad, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.6%) and Black (0.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mouawad
The surname Mouawad originated in Lebanon during the medieval period. It is derived from the Arabic word "muawwad," which means "loved one" or "beloved." The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who was deeply cherished or admired within their community.
The earliest known records of the Mouawad surname can be traced back to the 12th century in the region of Mount Lebanon. During this time, the area was home to a thriving community of Maronite Christians, and it is believed that the name first emerged among this ethnic group.
One of the earliest documented mentions of the Mouawad name can be found in a manuscript from the 14th century, which records a land dispute between two families in the village of Bsharri. This manuscript refers to a man named Youssef Mouawad, who was involved in the dispute.
In the 16th century, the Mouawad family was known to have lived in the town of Ghazir, which was an important center for silk production and trade. During this period, the name appeared in several records related to the silk industry, indicating that members of the Mouawad family were likely involved in this lucrative business.
Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the Mouawad surname. One of the earliest was Ibrahim Mouawad, a prominent Maronite scholar and theologian who lived in the 17th century. He authored several works on religious subjects and was highly respected within the Maronite community.
Another significant figure was Mikhail Mouawad, a Lebanese poet and playwright who lived from 1874 to 1940. He was a pioneer of modern Arabic literature and is best known for his plays, which explored themes of social injustice and national identity.
In the 20th century, the Mouawad name gained international recognition through the work of Robert Mouawad, a prominent Lebanese-American jeweler and philanthropist. Born in 1925, he founded the Mouawad jewelry empire, which is known for its exquisite diamond and gemstone designs.
Other notable individuals with the Mouawad surname include Waddah Mouawad, a Lebanese politician and diplomat who served as the country's ambassador to the United States from 1991 to 1998, and Wajdi Mouawad, a Canadian playwright and actor of Lebanese descent, born in 1968, who has received numerous awards for his work in theater.
While the Mouawad name has spread globally due to immigration and diaspora communities, its roots can be traced back to the ancient lands of Lebanon, where it emerged as a symbol of affection and esteem within the region's rich cultural tapestry.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mouawad
Among Census respondents with the surname Mouawad, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.6%) and Black (0.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Mouawad 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 Mouawad surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.1% · 201
- Hispanic or Latino5.6% · 12
- Black or African American0.5% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 1
- Two or more races0.5% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mouawad
Mouawad 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
#102,688
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 175
+61 bearers (+53.5%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Up 33,149 places
2020
#91,558
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 216
+41 bearers (+23.4%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Up 11,130 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #135,837 | 114 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #102,688 | 175 | 0.06 | +61 bearers (+53.5%) | Up 33,149 places |
| 2020 | #91,558 | 216 | 0.07 | +41 bearers (+23.4%) | Up 11,130 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 Mouawad 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 | #102,688 | #91,558 | 10.8% |
| Count | 175 | 216 | 23.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.07 | 20.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mouawad bearers went from 175 to 216 (+23.4% change). The surname moved up 11,130 positions in the national ranking, going from #102,688 to #91,558.
FAQ
Mouawad surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mouawad?
Name Census estimates that about 248 living Americans carry the surname Mouawad. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,382,074 residents.
How common is Mouawad?
Mouawad ranks #91,558 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.07 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 216 people with the surname Mouawad. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (248), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.07 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.07 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 Mouawad.
Has Mouawad become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mouawad went from 175 recorded bearers to 216. That is an increase of 41 (+23.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #102,688 to #91,558.
What does the Census say about the background of Mouawad?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mouawad, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.6%) and Black (0.5%). 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 Mouawad in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.1% (201 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mouawad appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.1%), Hispanic (5.6%), Black (0.5%). 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 Mouawad (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 Mouawad mean?
An occupational surname possibly derived from an Arabic term meaning "sharpener" or "grinder." 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 Mouawad (0.07 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 share the surname Mouawad?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.