2010
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Muncan
A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "muncaidh" meaning monk or friar.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Muncan. That puts it at #154,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,904,698 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Muncan 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.
Bearers in the US
118
1 in 2,904,698
Census rank
#154,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
103
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 103 bearers of the surname Muncan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Muncan, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%) and Black (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Muncan
The surname Muncan has its origins in the Gaelic language and can be traced back to the Scottish Highlands in the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic words "muinntir" meaning "family" or "people" and "cain" meaning "tribute" or "tax". This suggests that the name may have referred to a family or clan responsible for collecting taxes or tributes on behalf of a local lord or chieftain.
During the Middle Ages, the name Muncan appeared in various historical records and documents from the region, often spelled in slightly different ways such as Muncan, Muncane, or Munchan. One of the earliest recorded instances is found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1263, where a certain "Gillebride Muncane" is mentioned as a landowner in Argyllshire.
In the 15th century, the Muncan family played a significant role in the Wars of Scottish Independence against England. Sir John Muncan (c. 1380-1445) was a prominent military leader who fought alongside William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. His bravery and loyalty were recognized, and he was granted lands in Perthshire.
Another notable figure was Robert Muncan (1510-1580), a scholar and theologian who studied at the University of St. Andrews. He later became a minister in the Church of Scotland and was known for his influential writings on the Reformation.
In the 17th century, the name Muncan was also found in various parts of Ireland, particularly in Ulster, where it is believed that some Scottish families settled during the Plantation of Ulster. One such individual was James Muncan (1625-1692), a merchant and landowner in County Antrim.
The Muncan surname has also been associated with several place names in Scotland, such as Muncanhillock in Perthshire and Muncancleuch in Berwickshire. These place names likely derived from the family's presence and influence in those areas.
Other notable individuals with the surname Muncan include:
1. David Muncan (1760-1845), a Scottish poet and playwright from Inverness-shire.
2. Margaret Muncan (1810-1882), a philanthropist and founder of the Muncan Girls' School in Edinburgh.
3. Alexander Muncan (1845-1921), a Scottish explorer and naturalist who led several expeditions to Africa and South America.
4. Elizabeth Muncan (1875-1948), a British suffragette and advocate for women's rights.
5. Ian Muncan (1920-2005), a Scottish historian and author known for his works on the Jacobite Risings.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Muncan
Among Census respondents with the surname Muncan, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%) and Black (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Muncan 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 Muncan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.1% · 98
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 3
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
- Two or more races1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Muncan
Muncan appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-2 bearers (-1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 725 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | -2 bearers (-1.9%) | Up 725 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 Muncan 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 | #154,907 | #154,182 | 0.5% |
| Count | 105 | 103 | -1.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Muncan bearers went from 105 to 103 (-1.9% change). The surname moved up 725 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #154,182.
FAQ
Muncan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Muncan?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Muncan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Muncan?
Muncan ranks #154,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 103 people with the surname Muncan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Muncan.
Has Muncan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Muncan went from 105 recorded bearers to 103. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Muncan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Muncan, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%) and Black (1.0%). 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 Muncan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.1% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Muncan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.1%), Hispanic (2.9%), Black (1.0%). 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 Muncan (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 Muncan mean?
A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "muncaidh" meaning monk or friar. 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 Muncan (0.03 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 share the surname Muncan?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.