2010
#148,347
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Muchowski
A surname of Polish origin meaning "from Muchowo", a place name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Muchowski. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Muchowski 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
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Muchowski in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Muchowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Muchowski
The surname Muchowski has its origins rooted in Poland, emerging during the Middle Ages. This name is derived from the Polish word "mucha," which translates to "fly." It is believed that the name was initially bestowed as a nickname upon individuals who exhibited characteristics or mannerisms likened to the insect.
Historically, the earliest recorded instances of the Muchowski name can be traced back to the 15th century in various Polish municipal records and registries. Notable individuals bearing this surname include Jan Muchowski, a renowned 16th-century scholar and author renowned for his contributions to Polish literature and philosophy.
In the 17th century, the Muchowski name gained prominence with the birth of Katarzyna Muchowska (1619-1681), a celebrated Polish artist renowned for her intricate embroidery work and tapestries, which adorned numerous noble households and churches throughout the region.
During the 18th century, Michał Muchowski (1720-1784) emerged as a prominent figure, serving as a military commander in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth's armed forces. His bravery and strategic acumen were widely celebrated, and he played a pivotal role in several significant battles against foreign invaders.
The 19th century saw the rise of Józef Muchowski (1837-1901), a renowned Polish architect whose designs and constructions left an indelible mark on the architectural landscape of Warsaw and other major cities. His masterpieces, characterized by their intricate craftsmanship and innovative techniques, stand as enduring testaments to his artistic vision.
Another notable figure from this era was Wanda Muchowska (1865-1942), a pioneering Polish educator and women's rights activist. Her tireless efforts in advocating for equal educational opportunities and gender equality paved the way for future generations of women to pursue their ambitions and contribute to society.
Throughout its long history, the Muchowski surname has been associated with various regions and localities within Poland, with variations in spelling and pronunciation arising due to local dialects and customs. However, the core essence of the name's meaning and its connection to the "fly" remains deeply rooted in its Polish heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Muchowski
Among Census respondents with the surname Muchowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Muchowski 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 Muchowski surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.5% · 104
- Two or more races3.6% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Muchowski
Muchowski appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,099 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #148,347 | 111 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 1,099 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 Muchowski 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 | #148,347 | #149,446 | -0.7% |
| Count | 111 | 110 | -0.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Muchowski bearers went from 111 to 110 (-0.9% change). The surname moved down 1,099 positions in the national ranking, going from #148,347 to #149,446.
FAQ
Muchowski surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Muchowski?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Muchowski. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Muchowski?
Muchowski ranks #149,446 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 110 people with the surname Muchowski. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), 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 Muchowski.
Has Muchowski become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Muchowski went from 111 recorded bearers to 110. That is a decrease of 1 (-0.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #148,347 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Muchowski?
Among Census respondents with the surname Muchowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%). 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 Muchowski in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.5% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Muchowski appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.5%), Two or More Races (3.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%). 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 Muchowski (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 Muchowski mean?
A surname of Polish origin meaning "from Muchowo", a place name. 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 Muchowski (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 Muchowski?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.