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

Mugo, 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 Mugo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mugo in America

Mugo is the 81181st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mugo surname appeared 233 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 Mugo.

The history of the last name Mugo

The surname Mugo originated in the Kikuyu community of Kenya, a Bantu ethnic group located in the central highlands region. It is believed to have emerged during the 16th century or earlier. The name Mugo is derived from the Kikuyu word "mugo," which means "a fig tree" or "a sycamore fig tree."

Historically, the Kikuyu people used fig trees for various purposes, such as making traditional medicine, furniture, and even as a source of food. Families or individuals who lived near or had a notable association with these trees often adopted the name Mugo as their surname.

Mugo is considered one of the oldest and most prominent Kikuyu surnames, appearing in various historical records and documents from the region. One notable early reference can be found in the writings of Johann Ludwig Krapf, a German missionary who lived among the Kikuyu people in the mid-19th century and documented their language and culture.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the Mugo surname was Mugo wa Kibiru, a prominent Kikuyu chief who lived in the late 18th century. He played a significant role in resisting the expansion of the Maasai people into Kikuyu territory during that period.

Another notable figure with the Mugo surname was Jomo Kenyatta (c. 1894-1978), the first Prime Minister and President of independent Kenya. Although his original name was Kamau wa Ngengi, he adopted the name Jomo Kenyatta, which included the Mugo surname, during his early political activism.

Other historical figures bearing the Mugo surname include Mbiyu Koinange (c. 1880-1979), a Kikuyu senior chief and political leader who played a significant role in the Kenyan independence movement, and Mugo Gecaga (c. 1921-2008), a Kenyan politician and diplomat who served as a cabinet minister and ambassador.

The Mugo surname has also been associated with various place names in the Kikuyu region, such as Mugo Hill, Mugo Village, and Mugo River, which further solidifies its historical and cultural significance within the Kikuyu community.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mugo

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

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 Mugo 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.

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

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

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