2000
#18,177
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,412
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.52
Rare Last name
Moussa
A surname of Arabic origin meaning "Moses," referring to the biblical prophet who led the Israelites out of Egypt.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,425 Americans carry the last name Moussa. That puts it at #10,266 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.00 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 100,074 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Moussa 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 Moussa with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.4K
1 in 100,074
Census rank
#10,266
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,987 bearers of the surname Moussa in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.00 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10266th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Moussa, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.4%. The next largest groups are Black (15.4%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Moussa
The surname Moussa has its origins in the Arabic language and is derived from the personal name Musa, which translates to "Moses" in English. This name is closely associated with the Islamic faith and culture, as it refers to the revered prophet and leader Moses from the Abrahamic religions.
The earliest records of the surname Moussa can be traced back to the Middle Ages, particularly in regions with a significant Muslim presence, such as the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of the Mediterranean basin. During this time, the name was commonly used among Arab populations, reflecting their deep-rooted cultural and religious traditions.
In the 7th century, the spread of Islam across the Arabian Peninsula and into neighboring regions played a crucial role in the dissemination of the name Moussa. As Muslim conquests expanded into territories like Syria, Egypt, and Persia, the name gained popularity and became widely adopted by those who embraced the Islamic faith.
One of the earliest documented references to the surname Moussa can be found in the writings of renowned Arab scholars and historians from the medieval period. These works often mentioned individuals bearing this name, providing insights into their lives, professions, and contributions to various fields of knowledge.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the surname Moussa. One such prominent individual was Al-Moussa Al-Rawi (1154-1233), a renowned mathematician and astronomer from Persia. His seminal works on trigonometry and astronomical calculations significantly advanced the field of Islamic science during the Golden Age of the Abbasid Caliphate.
Another influential figure was Abdallah Moussa (1856-1923), a prominent Egyptian nationalist and political leader who played a pivotal role in the country's struggle for independence from British colonial rule. His efforts to promote Egyptian sovereignty and establish a constitutional monarchy left a lasting impact on the nation's political landscape.
In the realm of literature, the Algerian writer and philosopher Moussa Ait Belghit (1933-2020) gained recognition for his influential works exploring themes of identity, colonialism, and the human condition. His profound writings shed light on the complexities of post-colonial societies and earned him widespread acclaim.
The surname Moussa has also been associated with notable figures in the arts, such as the Egyptian sculptor and painter Moussa Ayoub (1924-2012), whose works captured the essence of traditional Egyptian life and culture through intricate representations of everyday scenes and landscapes.
Furthermore, the name Moussa has been linked to numerous place names and geographical locations throughout the Arab world, reflecting the widespread presence and influence of individuals bearing this surname across various regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Moussa
Among Census respondents with the surname Moussa, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.4%. The next largest groups are Black (15.4%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Moussa 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 Moussa surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White75.4% · 2,251
- Black or African American15.4% · 461
- Two or more races4.0% · 120
- Hispanic or Latino3.7% · 111
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.4% · 42
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Moussa
Moussa 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
#14,067
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,139
+727 bearers (+51.5%)
Per 100,000 0.73
Rank movement Up 4,110 places
2020
#10,266
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,987
+848 bearers (+39.6%)
Per 100,000 1.00
Rank movement Up 3,801 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #18,177 | 1,412 | 0.52 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,067 | 2,139 | 0.73 | +727 bearers (+51.5%) | Up 4,110 places |
| 2020 | #10,266 | 2,987 | 1.00 | +848 bearers (+39.6%) | Up 3,801 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 Moussa 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 | #14,067 | #10,266 | 27.0% |
| Count | 2,139 | 2,987 | 39.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.73 | 1.00 | 36.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Moussa bearers went from 2,139 to 2,987 (+39.6% change). The surname moved up 3,801 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,067 to #10,266.
FAQ
Moussa surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Moussa?
Name Census estimates that about 3,425 living Americans carry the surname Moussa. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 100,074 residents.
How common is Moussa?
Moussa ranks #10,266 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.00 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 2,987 people with the surname Moussa. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,425), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.00 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 Moussa.
Has Moussa become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Moussa went from 2,139 recorded bearers to 2,987. That is an increase of 848 (+39.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #14,067 to #10,266.
What does the Census say about the background of Moussa?
Among Census respondents with the surname Moussa, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.4%. The next largest groups are Black (15.4%) and Two or More Races (4.0%). 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 Moussa in the 2020 Census, accounting for 75.4% (2,251 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Moussa appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (75.4%), Black (15.4%), Two or More Races (4.0%). 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 Moussa (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 Moussa mean?
A surname of Arabic origin meaning "Moses," referring to the biblical prophet who led the Israelites out of Egypt. 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 Moussa (1.00 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 Moussa?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.