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

Munsee, 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 Munsee surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Munsee in America

Munsee is the 91981st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Munsee surname appeared 200 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 Munsee.

We can also compare 2010 data for Munsee 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 Munsee

The surname Munsee originates from the Netherlands, specifically the Munster region, and dates back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Dutch words "mund" (mouth) and "see" (lake), referring to a settlement near the mouth of a lake or river.

In the early 1600s, the Munsee were among the first Dutch settlers to colonize the New Netherland region, which later became parts of New York, New Jersey, and Delaware. The earliest recorded mention of the name was in a 1623 census of the Dutch West India Company, which listed several Munsee families living in the area around present-day Manhattan.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Munsee surname appeared in various colonial records and land grants in the Hudson Valley and Delaware Valley regions. One notable example is Johannes Munsee, who was granted a parcel of land in what is now Orange County, New York, in 1683.

In the 19th century, the Munsee name gained prominence with several individuals making significant contributions. William Munsee (1792-1880) was a prominent educator and abolitionist who helped establish several schools for African American students in Pennsylvania. Sarah Munsee (1817-1901) was a pioneering female journalist and author, known for her writings on women's rights and social reform.

Other notable figures with the Munsee surname include:

1. John Munsee (1837-1919), a Union Army officer during the American Civil War and later a successful businessman in Ohio.
2. Henry Munsee (1858-1932), a renowned architect who designed several iconic buildings in New York City, including the original Macy's department store.
3. Mary Munsee (1871-1948), a prominent suffragist and activist for women's voting rights in the early 20th century.
4. James Munsee (1895-1967), a celebrated artist and painter known for his landscapes and portraits of Native American life.
5. Robert Munsee (1920-2005), a highly respected jurist who served as a federal judge in the District of New Jersey for over 30 years.

The Munsee surname has a rich history rooted in the Dutch settlement of the northeastern United States, with many notable individuals bearing this name making significant contributions across various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Munsee

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

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

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

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