2000
#7,889
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,893
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.44
Rare Last name
Moultrie
A Scottish locational surname derived from a place near Cupar in Fife, likely meaning "mill town."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,827 Americans carry the last name Moultrie. That puts it at #7,598 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.41 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 71,008 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Moultrie 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Moultrie with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.8K
1 in 71,008
Census rank
#7,598
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,209 bearers of the surname Moultrie in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.41 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7598th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Moultrie, the largest self-reported group is Black at 78.5%. The next largest groups are White (13.5%) and Two or More Races (4.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Moultrie
The surname Moultrie is of French origin, tracing its roots back to the Old French word "moustier," which means "monastery" or "monastic church." It is believed that the name was initially given to individuals who lived near or were associated with a monastery.
In the 11th century, the name appeared in various forms such as Moustier, Moutier, and Moutiers in Normandy, France. This region played a significant role in the establishment of the name, as many Norman families migrated to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Moultrie can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name was spelled as "Mustiers" and referred to individuals living in areas with monasteries or monastic churches.
During the 12th and 13th centuries, the name evolved into various spellings, including Moultrie, Moutrie, and Mowltry. These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and the interpretation of scribes who recorded the name.
Notable individuals with the surname Moultrie include:
1. William Moultrie (1730-1805), an American Revolutionary War hero and the 35th Governor of South Carolina. He is best known for his defense of Sullivan's Island against British naval forces in 1776, earning him the nickname "The Gamecock."
2. John Moultrie (1799-1874), a British writer and dramatist, best known for his play "My Wife's Daughter" and his novels "The Dream of Life" and "The Life of the Rev. Robert Story."
3. Gerard Moultrie (1829-1885), an English clergyman and hymnwriter, who authored numerous hymns, including "Thou art the Way: by Thee alone" and "Hark, hark, my soul! Angelic songs are swelling."
4. John Moultrie (1690-1768), a British lawyer and judge who served as Chief Justice of the Bahamas and Bermuda in the mid-18th century.
5. James Moultrie (1803-1869), a Scottish civil engineer and inventor, known for his contributions to the development of the screw propeller and early steamship design.
The surname Moultrie has a rich history, originating from the monastic communities of medieval France and evolving over centuries as families migrated and settled in various regions. Its presence in historical records and the notable individuals who carried the name further solidify its significance in various cultural and historical contexts.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Moultrie
Among Census respondents with the surname Moultrie, the largest self-reported group is Black at 78.5%. The next largest groups are White (13.5%) and Two or More Races (4.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Moultrie 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 Moultrie surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American78.5% · 3,305
- White13.5% · 570
- Two or more races4.9% · 205
- Hispanic or Latino2.4% · 103
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 15
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 11
Timeline
Historical Census data for Moultrie
Moultrie 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
#7,566
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,391
+498 bearers (+12.8%)
Per 100,000 1.49
Rank movement Up 323 places
2020
#7,598
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,209
-182 bearers (-4.1%)
Per 100,000 1.41
Rank movement Down 32 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,889 | 3,893 | 1.44 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,566 | 4,391 | 1.49 | +498 bearers (+12.8%) | Up 323 places |
| 2020 | #7,598 | 4,209 | 1.41 | -182 bearers (-4.1%) | Down 32 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 Moultrie 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 | #7,566 | #7,598 | -0.4% |
| Count | 4,391 | 4,209 | -4.1% |
| Per 100K | 1.49 | 1.41 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Moultrie bearers went from 4,391 to 4,209 (-4.1% change). The surname moved down 32 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,566 to #7,598.
FAQ
Moultrie surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Moultrie?
Name Census estimates that about 4,827 living Americans carry the surname Moultrie. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 71,008 residents.
How common is Moultrie?
Moultrie ranks #7,598 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.41 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,209 people with the surname Moultrie. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,827), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.41 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.41 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Moultrie.
Has Moultrie become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Moultrie went from 4,391 recorded bearers to 4,209. That is a decrease of 182 (-4.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,566 to #7,598.
What does the Census say about the background of Moultrie?
Among Census respondents with the surname Moultrie, the largest self-reported group is Black at 78.5%. The next largest groups are White (13.5%) and Two or More Races (4.9%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Moultrie in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.5% (3,305 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Moultrie appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (78.5%), White (13.5%), Two or More Races (4.9%). 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 Moultrie (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 Moultrie mean?
A Scottish locational surname derived from a place near Cupar in Fife, likely meaning "mill town." 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 Moultrie (1.41 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 are called Moultrie?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the surname Moultrie at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.