2000
#3,717
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,763
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.25
Rare Last name
Mullis
Derived from a place name meaning "mill house" in Old English, likely referring to someone who lived near a mill.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 9,786 Americans carry the last name Mullis. That puts it at #4,042 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.86 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 35,025 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mullis 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 Mullis with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
9.8K
1 in 35,025
Census rank
#4,042
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
8.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 8,534 bearers of the surname Mullis in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.86 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4042nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mullis, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mullis
The surname Mullis is believed to have originated in England, with records indicating its presence as early as the 13th century. The name is derived from an Old English word "mullian," which means "to crumble" or "to break into pieces." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to an occupation or a characteristic associated with someone who worked with materials that required crumbling or breaking, such as a miller or a stonemason.
One of the earliest known references to the Mullis surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were administrative records compiled for the government of King Edward I. The name is listed as "Molyn" in these records, and it is believed to have been an early variation of the Mullis surname.
During the 14th century, the name appears in various forms, including "Mullen," "Mullins," and "Mollins," reflecting the variations in spelling common during that period. One notable figure from this era was John Mullen, a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of London, who lived in the latter half of the 14th century.
As the centuries progressed, the Mullis surname became more firmly established in various regions of England. In the 16th century, records show the name appearing in counties such as Gloucestershire and Worcestershire, often linked to small villages and hamlets.
One of the earliest known individuals with the Mullis surname was William Mullis, born in 1567 in Littleton, Worcestershire. He was a landowner and farmer who played a role in local affairs during his lifetime.
In the 18th century, the Mullis surname gained further recognition with the birth of James Mullis (1724-1799), a renowned clockmaker from Lincolnshire. His clocks were highly prized for their craftsmanship and accuracy, and some of his works can still be found in museums and private collections today.
Another notable figure was Elizabeth Mullis (1786-1864), an English writer and poet. Her works, which often explored themes of nature and spirituality, were published in various literary journals and anthologies of her time.
The 19th century saw the Mullis name spread further across the United Kingdom and beyond. One prominent individual from this period was John Mullis (1829-1904), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Liverpool. He made significant contributions to the city's development and was known for his charitable initiatives.
Throughout its history, the Mullis surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, artists, and military personnel. While not an exhaustive list, these examples provide a glimpse into the rich heritage and diverse backgrounds associated with this name over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mullis
Among Census respondents with the surname Mullis, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Mullis 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 Mullis surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.1% · 7,945
- Two or more races3.3% · 282
- Hispanic or Latino2.3% · 200
- Black or African American0.5% · 46
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 42
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 19
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mullis
Mullis 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
#3,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,003
+240 bearers (+2.7%)
Per 100,000 3.05
Rank movement Down 237 places
2020
#4,042
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,534
-469 bearers (-5.2%)
Per 100,000 2.86
Rank movement Down 88 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,717 | 8,763 | 3.25 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,954 | 9,003 | 3.05 | +240 bearers (+2.7%) | Down 237 places |
| 2020 | #4,042 | 8,534 | 2.86 | -469 bearers (-5.2%) | Down 88 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 Mullis 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 | #3,954 | #4,042 | -2.2% |
| Count | 9,003 | 8,534 | -5.2% |
| Per 100K | 3.05 | 2.86 | -6.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mullis bearers went from 9,003 to 8,534 (-5.2% change). The surname moved down 88 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,954 to #4,042.
FAQ
Mullis surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mullis?
Name Census estimates that about 9,786 living Americans carry the surname Mullis. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 35,025 residents.
How common is Mullis?
Mullis ranks #4,042 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.86 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 8,534 people with the surname Mullis. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (9,786), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.86 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.86 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Mullis.
Has Mullis become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mullis went from 9,003 recorded bearers to 8,534. That is a decrease of 469 (-5.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #3,954 to #4,042.
What does the Census say about the background of Mullis?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mullis, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Hispanic (2.3%). 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 Mullis in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.1% (7,945 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mullis appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.1%), Two or More Races (3.3%), Hispanic (2.3%). 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 Mullis (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 Mullis mean?
Derived from a place name meaning "mill house" in Old English, likely referring to someone who lived near a 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 Mullis (2.86 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 surname Mullis?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.