2000
#66,073
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 280
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.10
Very Rare Last name
Muffett
A surname derived from the Middle English "moufet," meaning a little bird or sparrow.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 345 Americans carry the last name Muffett. That puts it at #70,147 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.10 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 993,491 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Muffett 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Muffett with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
345
1 in 993,491
Census rank
#70,147
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
301
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 301 bearers of the surname Muffett in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.10 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 70147th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Muffett, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Two or More Races (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Muffett
The surname Muffett is of ancient English origin, derived from the Old English words "mufa" meaning a little bird, and "ett" denoting a small person. It is believed to have originated in the county of Nottinghamshire during the early medieval period, around the 12th century.
The earliest recorded instance of the name can be traced back to the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire in 1195, where it appears as "Mufihet". In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, it is listed as "Muffit", indicating a slight variation in spelling over time.
Historically, the name was prevalent in the villages and hamlets surrounding the ancient Sherwood Forest, where it is thought to have been initially adopted as a nickname for someone of small stature or a person who had a particular affinity for birds.
One notable bearer of the name was Sir Richard Muffett, a renowned archer who fought alongside Robin Hood in the legendary tales of the outlaw's exploits in Sherwood Forest during the late 12th century. Although his existence is shrouded in folklore, his name has become intrinsically linked with the Robin Hood legend.
In the 16th century, a physician named Thomas Muffett (1553-1604) gained recognition for his work on insects and health, publishing the seminal work "The Theatre of Insects" in 1590, which was one of the earliest scientific treatises on entomology.
During the English Civil War, Colonel William Muffett (1615-1676) served as a Parliamentarian officer and played a pivotal role in several key battles, including the Battle of Naseby in 1645.
Another notable figure was the poet and playwright Mary Muffett (1778-1839), who was celebrated for her satirical works and her collaborations with the renowned writer Lord Byron.
In the 19th century, the explorer and naturalist John Muffett (1825-1891) made significant contributions to the study of flora and fauna in the remote regions of South America, where he documented numerous species previously unknown to science.
Throughout its history, the surname Muffett has maintained a strong presence in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, and Yorkshire, where many of its earliest bearers were concentrated. While the name has evolved and spread to other parts of the world, its origins remain firmly rooted in the rich tapestry of English heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Muffett
Among Census respondents with the surname Muffett, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Two or More Races (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Muffett 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 Muffett surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.7% · 267
- Hispanic or Latino3.7% · 11
- Two or more races3.7% · 11
- Black or African American2.3% · 7
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.3% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Muffett
Muffett 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
#68,122
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 289
+9 bearers (+3.2%)
Per 100,000 0.10
Rank movement Down 2,049 places
2020
#70,147
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 301
+12 bearers (+4.2%)
Per 100,000 0.10
Rank movement Down 2,025 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #66,073 | 280 | 0.10 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #68,122 | 289 | 0.10 | +9 bearers (+3.2%) | Down 2,049 places |
| 2020 | #70,147 | 301 | 0.10 | +12 bearers (+4.2%) | Down 2,025 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 Muffett 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 | #68,122 | #70,147 | -3.0% |
| Count | 289 | 301 | 4.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.10 | 0.10 | 0.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Muffett bearers went from 289 to 301 (+4.2% change). The surname moved down 2,025 positions in the national ranking, going from #68,122 to #70,147.
FAQ
Muffett surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Muffett?
Name Census estimates that about 345 living Americans carry the surname Muffett. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 993,491 residents.
How common is Muffett?
Muffett ranks #70,147 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.10 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 301 people with the surname Muffett. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (345), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.1 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.10 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 Muffett.
Has Muffett become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Muffett went from 289 recorded bearers to 301. That is an increase of 12 (+4.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #68,122 to #70,147.
What does the Census say about the background of Muffett?
Among Census respondents with the surname Muffett, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Two or More Races (3.7%). 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 Muffett in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.7% (267 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Muffett appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.7%), Hispanic (3.7%), Two or More Races (3.7%). 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 Muffett (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 Muffett mean?
A surname derived from the Middle English "moufet," meaning a little bird or sparrow. 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 Muffett (0.10 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 Muffett?
Find out how many people are called Muffett on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.