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

Mulla, 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 Mulla surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mulla in America

Mulla is the 37591st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mulla surname appeared 592 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 Mulla.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mulla to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Mulla

The surname Mulla has its origins in India, where it was derived from the Arabic word 'mullah,' which means a learned or respectable man, often referring to a Muslim religious leader or teacher. The name is believed to have emerged during the medieval period when Islamic scholars and teachers were highly revered in the region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mulla can be found in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century administrative document commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This document mentions several individuals bearing the surname Mulla, indicating its widespread usage during that era.

In India, the name Mulla was prevalent among Muslim communities, particularly in regions with a strong Islamic influence, such as the northern and western parts of the subcontinent. Over time, the name spread to other parts of the country and beyond, carried by migrating families and individuals.

Historically, the Mulla surname was associated with individuals who were learned in Islamic theology, law, and literature. Many prominent scholars, jurists, and poets from the medieval and early modern periods carried this surname, including Mulla Sadra (1571-1640), a renowned Persian philosopher and theologian, and Mulla Nasruddin (13th century), a famous satirical Sufi figure.

Another notable figure with the surname Mulla was Mulla Mustafa Barzani (1903-1979), a Kurdish nationalist leader who played a significant role in the Kurdish struggle for autonomy in Iraq. Barzani's surname is believed to have originated from the town of Barzan, which was known for its religious scholars and teachers.

In the Indian subcontinent, the Mulla surname was also associated with various occupations related to education and religious instruction. Some examples include Mulla Firoz Khan (1638-1703), a renowned poet and scholar from the Mughal era, and Mulla Muhammad Baqir Majlisi (1616-1698), a prominent Shia scholar and theologian from Persia.

While the surname Mulla has its roots in the Islamic tradition, it has since transcended religious boundaries and is found among various communities and ethnic groups across South Asia and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mulla

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

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 Mulla 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.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Mulla has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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

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

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