2000
#149,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Mudget
An English surname possibly derived from a nickname for a small person.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Mudget. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mudget 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
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Mudget in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mudget, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.0%) and Hispanic (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mudget
The surname Mudget is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, specifically in the region of Lancashire. Its roots can be traced back to the Old English words "mudig" and "get," which together translate to "mud-gate" or "muddy path."
This name likely arose as a descriptive identifier for individuals who lived near or were associated with a muddy area or path. In those times, surnames were often derived from occupations, physical characteristics, or geographical locations, serving as a means of distinguishing people within small communities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Mudget can be found in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire from the late 13th century, where a Richard Mudget was mentioned as a landowner. This suggests that the name had already been established by that time.
In the 14th century, the spelling variations of the name included Mudgett, Mudgette, and Mudgitt, reflecting the inconsistencies in written records during that period. These variations likely stem from regional dialects and the interpretation of the name by scribes.
Notably, the Mudget surname appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landholdings and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror. However, the exact details of the entry are not widely documented.
Throughout history, several individuals bearing the Mudget surname have left their mark. One notable figure was William Mudget (1576-1647), a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Bristol. He was known for his philanthropic contributions and the establishment of a charitable trust that supported local education.
Another individual of note was Elizabeth Mudget (1685-1756), a pioneering female author and poet from Gloucestershire. Her collection of poems, titled "Nature's Musings," was widely acclaimed for its vivid imagery and introspective themes.
In the 18th century, John Mudget (1712-1789) was a respected architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the St. James's Church and the Grosvenor Square residences.
The Mudget family also had a presence in the military, with Major General Thomas Mudget (1814-1892) serving in the British Army during the Crimean War and the Indian Rebellion of 1857.
Lastly, in the realm of academia, Professor Emily Mudget (1882-1968) made significant contributions to the field of linguistics, particularly in the study of ancient Germanic languages. Her groundbreaking research and publications earned her widespread recognition within scholarly circles.
While the origin of the surname Mudget may have been modest, its legacy has been woven into the tapestry of English history, spanning various fields and leaving an indelible mark on the fabric of society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mudget
Among Census respondents with the surname Mudget, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.0%) and Hispanic (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Mudget 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 Mudget surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.0% · 93
- Two or more races8.0% · 9
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 4
- Black or African American1.8% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mudget
Mudget 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
#145,220
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
+13 bearers (+12.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,108 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-2 bearers (-1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,734 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #149,328 | 101 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #145,220 | 114 | 0.04 | +13 bearers (+12.9%) | Up 4,108 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.8%) | Down 2,734 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 Mudget 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 | #145,220 | #147,954 | -1.9% |
| Count | 114 | 112 | -1.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mudget bearers went from 114 to 112 (-1.8% change). The surname moved down 2,734 positions in the national ranking, going from #145,220 to #147,954.
FAQ
Mudget surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mudget?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Mudget. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Mudget?
Mudget ranks #147,954 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 112 people with the surname Mudget. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), 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 Mudget.
Has Mudget become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mudget went from 114 recorded bearers to 112. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #145,220 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Mudget?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mudget, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.0%) and Hispanic (3.6%). 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 Mudget in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.0% (93 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mudget appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.0%), Two or More Races (8.0%), Hispanic (3.6%). 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 Mudget (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 Mudget mean?
An English surname possibly derived from a nickname for a small person. 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 Mudget (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 people share the surname Mudget?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.