2000
#143,847
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Mozelle
A surname possibly derived from the Moselle River region of France or Germany.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Mozelle. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mozelle 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Mozelle in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mozelle, the largest self-reported group is Black at 78.6%. The next largest groups are White (12.8%) and Hispanic (5.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mozelle
The surname "MOZELLE" is believed to have originated in the region of Moselle, which straddles the border between France and Germany. This name likely emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. The Moselle River, which flows through this region, was an important waterway for trade and transportation during this time.
The name "MOZELLE" is thought to be derived from the French word "Moselle," which refers to the river itself. It's plausible that the name was originally given to someone who lived near the Moselle River or was associated with the region in some way. Variations of the spelling may have included "Moselle," "Mozell," or "Mozel."
In terms of historical records, the earliest known mention of the surname "MOZELLE" can be found in a document from the Duchy of Lorraine, dated to the late 14th century. This document lists a landowner named Jean MOZELLE, who held property near the town of Metz, which sits along the Moselle River.
One notable figure bearing the name "MOZELLE" was Guillaume MOZELLE, a French merchant and trader who lived in the 16th century. Guillaume was born in Metz in 1520 and was involved in the trade of wines and textiles along the Moselle River. He is mentioned in several historical records related to merchant guilds and trade agreements of the time.
Another individual of note was Jeanne MOZELLE, a French noblewoman who lived during the 17th century. Jeanne was born in 1632 in the town of Thionville, also located along the Moselle River. She was a prominent figure in the local nobility and owned several estates in the region.
In the late 18th century, a man named Pierre MOZELLE gained recognition as a skilled winemaker in the Moselle region. Pierre was born in 1765 in the village of Ars-sur-Moselle and is credited with revolutionizing winemaking techniques in the area, helping to establish the region's reputation for producing high-quality wines.
During the 19th century, a French artist named Émile MOZELLE made a name for himself as a talented landscape painter. Émile was born in 1825 in the town of Épinal, not far from the Moselle River. His paintings often depicted the picturesque scenery of the Moselle region, capturing the beauty of the river and surrounding landscapes.
It's worth noting that while the surname "MOZELLE" is most closely associated with the Moselle region, it's possible that individuals bearing this name may have migrated to other parts of Europe or even across the globe, carrying the name with them.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mozelle
Among Census respondents with the surname Mozelle, the largest self-reported group is Black at 78.6%. The next largest groups are White (12.8%) and Hispanic (5.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Mozelle 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 Mozelle surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American78.6% · 92
- White12.8% · 15
- Hispanic or Latino5.1% · 6
- Two or more races2.6% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mozelle
Mozelle 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
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-5 bearers (-4.7%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 15,865 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+16 bearers (+15.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 15,442 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #143,847 | 106 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | -5 bearers (-4.7%) | Down 15,865 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | +16 bearers (+15.8%) | Up 15,442 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 Mozelle 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 | #159,712 | #144,270 | 9.7% |
| Count | 101 | 117 | 15.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 30.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mozelle bearers went from 101 to 117 (+15.8% change). The surname moved up 15,442 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #144,270.
FAQ
Mozelle surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mozelle?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Mozelle. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Mozelle?
Mozelle ranks #144,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 117 people with the surname Mozelle. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Mozelle.
Has Mozelle become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mozelle went from 101 recorded bearers to 117. That is an increase of 16 (+15.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Mozelle?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mozelle, the largest self-reported group is Black at 78.6%. The next largest groups are White (12.8%) and Hispanic (5.1%). 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 Mozelle in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.6% (92 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mozelle appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (78.6%), White (12.8%), Hispanic (5.1%). 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 Mozelle (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 Mozelle mean?
A surname possibly derived from the Moselle River region of France or Germany. 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 Mozelle (0.04 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 Americans have the surname Mozelle?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.