2010
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Muon
A surname possibly derived from the Greek word for "solitary" or "single."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Muon. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Muon 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Muon in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Muon, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 73.9%. The next largest groups are Black (15.1%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Muon
The surname MUON is believed to have originated in Germany during the late 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Germanic word "mun," which means "protection" or "guardian." This suggests that the name may have initially been given to someone who held a position of authority or served as a protector of some kind.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the MUON name can be found in a document from the city of Cologne, dated 1189. This document mentions a man named Heinrichvon Muon, who was a local landowner and minor nobleman. It is possible that this individual was among the first to bear the MUON surname.
In the 13th century, the name appears to have spread to other parts of Germany, including the regions of Bavaria and Saxony. There are records of a family named Muon living in the town of Nuremberg during this time period. They were artisans and craftsmen, known for their skilled work in metalsmithing and jewelry-making.
By the 14th century, the MUON name had become more widely established across Germany. In 1378, a man named Johannes Muon is mentioned in the annals of the city of Frankfurt, where he served as a respected merchant and civic leader.
One of the most notable individuals with the MUON surname was Hans Muon, born in Augsburg in 1492. He was a renowned Renaissance-era artist and engraver, celebrated for his intricate woodcuts and engravings depicting religious and mythological scenes. His work was highly sought after by wealthy patrons and influential figures of the time.
Another prominent MUON was Katharina Muon, who lived in the 16th century. She was a herbalist and healer, renowned for her knowledge of traditional remedies and her compassionate treatment of the sick and infirm. Katharina's reputation spread throughout the region, and she was often called upon to provide her services to nobility and commoners alike.
In the 17th century, the MUON name gained further prominence with the rise of a family of successful bankers and financiers based in Frankfurt. This branch of the Muon family amassed considerable wealth and influence, and their descendants went on to become prominent figures in the business and political circles of Europe.
Throughout the centuries, variations of the MUON spelling have included Mun, Muhn, and Muehne, reflecting regional dialects and linguistic shifts. However, the core meaning and significance of the name as a symbol of protection and guardianship has remained consistent.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Muon
Among Census respondents with the surname Muon, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 73.9%. The next largest groups are Black (15.1%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Muon 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 Muon surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander73.9% · 88
- Black or African American15.1% · 18
- Two or more races4.2% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.5% · 3
- White0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Muon
Muon 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
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+6 bearers (+5.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,413 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.3%) | Up 3,413 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 Muon 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 | #146,201 | #142,788 | 2.3% |
| Count | 113 | 119 | 5.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Muon bearers went from 113 to 119 (+5.3% change). The surname moved up 3,413 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #142,788.
FAQ
Muon surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Muon?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Muon. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Muon?
Muon ranks #142,788 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 119 people with the surname Muon. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Muon.
Has Muon become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Muon went from 113 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 6 (+5.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #146,201 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Muon?
Among Census respondents with the surname Muon, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 73.9%. The next largest groups are Black (15.1%) and Two or More Races (4.2%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Muon in the 2020 Census, accounting for 73.9% (88 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Muon appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (73.9%), Black (15.1%), Two or More Races (4.2%). 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 Muon (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 Muon mean?
A surname possibly derived from the Greek word for "solitary" or "single." 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 Muon (0.04 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 last name Muon?
See how many people are called Muon on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.