Mouse
An English surname derived from the word for the small rodent.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 651 Americans carry the last name Mouse. That puts it at #38,948 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.19 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 526,504 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mouse 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
651
1 in 526,504
Census rank
#38,948
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
566
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 566 bearers of the surname Mouse in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.19 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 38948th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mouse, the largest self-reported group is White at 54.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (32.0%) and Black (5.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mouse
The surname MOUSE is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "mus," which means "mouse." This surname likely referred to someone who had some association with mice, such as a person who caught or dealt with mice.
In the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land and property ownership in England, there are several entries that could be related to the surname MOUSE. For example, there are references to people with the name "Musse" or "Mussun," which may have been early spellings or variations of the surname.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname MOUSE can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1191, where a person named William Mous is mentioned. Another early record is from the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1279, which includes a reference to a John Mous.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname MOUSE was also found in various locations across England, including places like Huntingdonshire, Oxfordshire, and Yorkshire. Some early variations of the surname included spellings like "Mous," "Mousse," and "Mouss."
One notable historical figure with the surname MOUSE was Sir Christopher Mouse (c. 1510 – 1589), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Herefordshire in the 16th century.
Another individual with the surname MOUSE was John Mouse (c. 1540 – 1615), an English clergyman and academic who served as the President of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.
In the 17th century, there was a Robert Mouse (c. 1620 – 1685), who was an English lawyer and author. He wrote several legal treatises, including "The Student's Guide to the Common Law" and "The Student's Companion."
During the 18th century, a notable figure with the surname MOUSE was Richard Mouse (1725 – 1799), an English lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Calcutta Supreme Court in British India.
In the 19th century, there was a William Mouse (1810 – 1876), who was an English architect and surveyor. He designed several notable buildings in London, including St. James's Church and the former National Provincial Bank headquarters.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mouse
Among Census respondents with the surname Mouse, the largest self-reported group is White at 54.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (32.0%) and Black (5.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Mouse 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 Mouse surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White54.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native32.0%
- Black or African American5.3%
- Hispanic or Latino5.0%
- Unknown or suppressed3.5%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Mouse 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 | #36,807 | #38,948 | -5.8% |
| Count | 572 | 566 | -1.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.21 | 0.19 | -9.5% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Mouse bearers went from 572 to 566 (-1.0% change). The surname moved down 2,141 positions in the national ranking, going from #36,807 to #38,948.
FAQ
Mouse surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Mouse?
The surname Mouse holds position #38,948 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 651 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.19 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Mouse surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mouse, the largest self-reported group is White at 54.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (32.0%) and Black (5.3%). 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.