2000
#3,060
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,863
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.03
Uncommon Last name
Muir
A Scottish topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a moor or heath.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 12,888 Americans carry the last name Muir. That puts it at #3,123 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.76 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 26,595 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Muir 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 Muir with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
13K
1 in 26,595
Census rank
#3,123
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
11K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 11,239 bearers of the surname Muir in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.76 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3123rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Muir, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.1%. The next largest groups are Black (5.9%) and Hispanic (4.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Muir
The surname Muir is of Scottish origin, derived from the Old English word "mor" or the Old Norse word "mur," both meaning "moor" or "heath." It was initially used as a topographic name for someone who lived near a moorland or heathland area.
The name can be traced back to the 12th century in Scotland, with early records showing variations such as Mure, Muir, and Moor. One of the earliest references to the name is found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists several individuals with the surname Muir swearing fealty to King Edward I of England.
In the 14th century, the Muirs were a prominent family in the counties of Ayrshire and Renfrewshire, with several members holding positions of authority and power. Sir Reginald Muir, born around 1350, was a noted Scottish knight who fought alongside King Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence.
The surname Muir is also associated with several place names in Scotland, such as Muirkirk in East Ayrshire and Muiravonside in Stirlingshire. These place names likely originated from the same root word as the surname, indicating areas of moorland or heathland.
Notable individuals with the surname Muir throughout history include:
1. John Muir (1838-1914), a Scottish-American naturalist, author, and environmental philosopher, known as the "Father of the National Parks." He played a crucial role in the establishment of Yosemite National Park and the creation of the Sierra Club.
2. Sir William Muir (1819-1905), a Scottish scholar and civil servant in British India. He was a prominent orientalist and authored several works on Islamic history and literature.
3. Edwin Muir (1887-1959), a Scottish poet, novelist, and translator, known for his contributions to modern English literature. He was awarded the Founders’ Medal of the Royal Society of Literature in 1955.
4. Ramsay Muir (1872-1941), a British historian and political scientist, best known for his work on the history of British government and politics.
5. Matthew Muir (1807-1888), a Scottish-born American pioneer and rancher, who co-founded the city of Los Angeles, California, and was instrumental in establishing the region's cattle industry.
The surname Muir has a long and distinguished history, with roots dating back to the medieval period in Scotland. Its origins are closely tied to the landscape and geography of the country, reflecting the lives and occupations of those who bore the name in earlier times.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Muir
Among Census respondents with the surname Muir, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.1%. The next largest groups are Black (5.9%) and Hispanic (4.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Muir 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 Muir surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.1% · 9,562
- Black or African American5.9% · 666
- Hispanic or Latino4.5% · 510
- Two or more races3.2% · 356
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 104
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 41
Timeline
Historical Census data for Muir
Muir 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
#3,245
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,130
+267 bearers (+2.5%)
Per 100,000 3.77
Rank movement Down 185 places
2020
#3,123
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,239
+109 bearers (+1.0%)
Per 100,000 3.76
Rank movement Up 122 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,060 | 10,863 | 4.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,245 | 11,130 | 3.77 | +267 bearers (+2.5%) | Down 185 places |
| 2020 | #3,123 | 11,239 | 3.76 | +109 bearers (+1.0%) | Up 122 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 Muir 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 | #3,245 | #3,123 | 3.8% |
| Count | 11,130 | 11,239 | 1.0% |
| Per 100K | 3.77 | 3.76 | -0.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Muir bearers went from 11,130 to 11,239 (+1.0% change). The surname moved up 122 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,245 to #3,123.
FAQ
Muir surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Muir?
Name Census estimates that about 12,888 living Americans carry the surname Muir. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 26,595 residents.
How common is Muir?
Muir ranks #3,123 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.76 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 11,239 people with the surname Muir. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (12,888), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.76 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.76 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Muir.
Has Muir become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Muir went from 11,130 recorded bearers to 11,239. That is an increase of 109 (+1.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #3,245 to #3,123.
What does the Census say about the background of Muir?
Among Census respondents with the surname Muir, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.1%. The next largest groups are Black (5.9%) and Hispanic (4.5%). 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 Muir in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.1% (9,562 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Muir appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.1%), Black (5.9%), Hispanic (4.5%). 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 Muir (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 Muir mean?
A Scottish topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a moor or heath. 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 Muir (3.76 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 are called Muir?
Want to know how many people have the surname Muir? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.