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

Mua, 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 Mua surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mua in America

Mua is the 54637th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mua surname appeared 377 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 Mua.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mua 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 Mua

The surname Mua is believed to have originated from Italy, specifically in the region of Puglia, located in the southern part of the country. It is thought to have first emerged during the medieval period, likely between the 11th and 13th centuries.

One theory suggests that the name Mua may derive from the Latin word "murum," meaning "wall," indicating that the family's ancestors may have been involved in the construction or maintenance of defensive walls or fortifications. Another possibility is that the name originated from a place name or topographical feature, such as a hill or a village, bearing a similar-sounding name.

Historical records from the time indicate that the name appeared in various forms, including Mua, Muja, and Muia, reflecting the regional variations and spelling conventions of the era. Notably, the name Mua is mentioned in a 13th-century manuscript from the Duchy of Puglia, which provides an early documented reference to the surname.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mua can be traced back to a nobleman named Giacomo Mua, who lived in the town of Bari in the late 14th century. Another notable figure was Domenico Mua, a renowned architect from the 16th century who contributed to the design and construction of several landmark buildings in Naples.

In the 17th century, a prominent Mua family resided in the town of Lecce, where they were respected landowners and patrons of the arts. One member of this family, Antonio Mua (1625-1701), was a celebrated painter whose works adorned many churches and noble residences in the region.

Moving into the 18th century, a military officer named Giuseppe Mua (1712-1789) gained recognition for his service in the Napoleonic Wars, earning him the title of Baron and a land grant in the Kingdom of Naples.

Another noteworthy figure was Giovanna Mua (1830-1912), a philanthropist and social reformer from Taranto, who dedicated her life to improving the lives of the underprivileged and advocating for women's rights.

Throughout the centuries, the Mua surname has maintained a strong presence in southern Italy, with many families carrying on the legacy and contributing to the rich cultural tapestry of the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mua

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!