2000
#146,011
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Muelken
An occupational surname derived from the Middle German word "mulchen" meaning "to grind" or "to mill".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Muelken. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Muelken 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
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Muelken in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Muelken, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Muelken
The surname MUELKEN originates from the German-speaking regions of Europe, with its roots tracing back to the early medieval period, around the 10th to 12th centuries. This name is believed to have derived from a Germanic word, "muolchen," which referred to a small stream or brook, suggesting that the earliest bearers of this surname may have lived near or owned lands adjacent to such a water source.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the MUELKEN name can be found in the "Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae," a collection of historical documents from the Saxon region of Germany, dating back to the 13th century. This record mentions a certain "Henricus de Muelken" in the year 1275, indicating the presence of this surname in the region during that period.
Over the centuries, the MUELKEN name has undergone various spelling variations, such as Muelken, Mülken, Muhlken, and Mühlen, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal practices of different regions. These variations were often influenced by the local pronunciation and spelling conventions of the areas where the bearers of this name resided.
Notable individuals with the MUELKEN surname include Johann Wilhelm Muelken (1683-1746), a German composer and organist who served at the Marienkirche in Lübeck during the early 18th century. Another notable figure was Friedrich Muelken (1792-1864), a German landscape painter known for his depictions of the picturesque regions of Saxony and the Harz Mountains.
In the 16th century, records show a certain Hans Muelken (1520-1589) who was a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Nuremberg, playing an influential role in the local trade and governance of the city during that time.
Moving forward in history, the Muelken name also appears in connection with geographical locations. For instance, the village of Mülken, located in the district of Vorpommern-Rügen in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, likely derives its name from the MUELKEN surname, suggesting the presence of this family in the area during the naming of the settlement.
Another noteworthy individual was Emilie Muelken (1826-1895), a German novelist and writer who was born in Potsdam and authored several popular works of fiction during the 19th century, contributing to the literary landscape of her time.
While these are just a few examples, the MUELKEN surname has a rich history spanning centuries, originating from the German-speaking regions of Europe and leaving its mark on various aspects of society, from music and art to commerce and literature.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Muelken
Among Census respondents with the surname Muelken, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Muelken 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 Muelken surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.3% · 105
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Muelken
Muelken 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
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
+2 bearers (+1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,758 places
2020
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
+3 bearers (+2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,564 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #146,011 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.9%) | Down 7,758 places |
| 2020 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.8%) | Up 3,564 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 Muelken 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 | #153,769 | #150,205 | 2.3% |
| Count | 106 | 109 | 2.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Muelken bearers went from 106 to 109 (+2.8% change). The surname moved up 3,564 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #150,205.
FAQ
Muelken surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Muelken?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Muelken. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Muelken?
Muelken ranks #150,205 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 109 people with the surname Muelken. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), 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 Muelken.
Has Muelken become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Muelken went from 106 recorded bearers to 109. That is an increase of 3 (+2.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #153,769 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Muelken?
Among Census respondents with the surname Muelken, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.9%) 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 Muelken in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.3% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Muelken appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.3%), Hispanic (0.9%), 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 Muelken (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 Muelken mean?
An occupational surname derived from the Middle German word "mulchen" meaning "to grind" or "to mill". 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 Muelken (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 have the last name Muelken?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans have the surname Muelken at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.