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

Mu, 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 Mu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mu in America

Mu is the 16064th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mu surname appeared 1,803 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Mu.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mu 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 Mu

The surname Mu is derived from the Mandarin Chinese word 'mu' meaning wood or tree. It is believed to have originated in China during the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD) when surnames were first widely adopted. The name was likely given to those who lived near or worked with trees, such as carpenters, woodcutters, or those who lived in heavily forested areas.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Mu can be found in the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) historical records, where a scholar named Mu Xiaozhong (生卒年不详) is mentioned. During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), there was a famous general named Mu Anding (生卒年不详) who played a crucial role in defending the empire against northern invaders.

In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), there was a renowned painter and calligrapher named Mu Xin (生卒年不详) who was known for his innovative brush techniques and naturalistic depictions of landscapes. Another notable figure from this period was Mu Ying (生卒年不详), a high-ranking official and scholar who served as a minister under several emperors.

During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD), the Mu surname gained prominence with the rise of Mu Qing (1717-1788), a respected scholar and official who held several important positions in the imperial government. Another prominent figure from this time was Mu Dan (1834-1896), a pioneering female writer and poet who challenged traditional gender roles and advocated for women's education.

In more recent history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname Mu, such as Mu Guang (1901-1988), a prominent artist and educator who played a significant role in the development of modern Chinese art education. Mu Xin (1927-2011) was a renowned writer and literary critic who made significant contributions to the study of Chinese literature and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mu

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

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 Mu 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 Mu 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 Mu was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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