Find out how popular the last name Mowatt is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Mowatt.

Mowatt, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Mowatt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mowatt in America

Mowatt is the 20770th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mowatt surname appeared 1,272 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Mowatt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mowatt to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Mowatt

The surname "MOWATT" is of Scottish origin, deriving from the ancient lands of Mowat or Movat in the district of Forfar. The name is believed to have emerged around the 12th century, with its earliest recorded spelling appearing as "Mouwat" in the Scottish Rolls of 1296.

The name is thought to be derived from the Old English or Old Scots words "mowe" or "mow," meaning a meadow or a field, and "at" or "et," denoting a place or location. This suggests that the original bearers of the name may have hailed from a hamlet or settlement situated in a meadow or grassy area.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which document the swearing of allegiance to King Edward I of England by Scottish noblemen and landholders. Among those listed is "Thome de Mouwat," believed to be the progenitor of the Mowatt family.

In the 14th century, the Mowatts were prominent landowners in the shires of Angus and Forfar, with their ancestral seat located at the estate of Mowat or Movat in the parish of Tannadice. Notable figures from this era include Sir John Mowatt, who was knighted by King Robert II of Scotland in the late 14th century.

The name also appears in various historical records and manuscripts, such as the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in the 15th century, where individuals like William Mowat and John Mowat are mentioned in relation to land transactions and legal proceedings.

Throughout the centuries, the Mowatt surname has seen variations in spelling, including Movat, Mowat, Mowett, Mowat, and Mouat, reflecting the fluid nature of orthography in earlier times.

Notable individuals bearing the Mowatt surname include:

1. Sir John Mowatt (c. 1370 - c. 1450), a Scottish knight and landowner in Angus.
2. William Mowatt (c. 1425 - c. 1495), a Scottish clergyman who served as the Bishop of Argyll and the Isles.
3. John Mowatt (c. 1560 - c. 1630), a Scottish mathematician and astronomer who authored works on navigation and astronomy.
4. Sir Archibald Mowatt (1680 - 1747), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy and participated in several major battles during the War of the Spanish Succession.
5. Benjamin Mowatt (1718 - 1793), a British naval officer and explorer who conducted surveys and explorations along the coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador.

While the Mowatt surname has its roots in Scotland, over time, it has spread to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and exploration during the colonial era.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mowatt

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Mowatt.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Mowatt was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Mowatt has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Mowatt was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Mowatt, please contact us.

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