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

Murúa, 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 Murúa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Murúa in America

Murúa is the 60505th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Murúa surname appeared 333 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 Murúa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Murúa 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 Murúa

The surname MURUA originates from the Basque region of northern Spain and southern France, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Basque words "muru" meaning hill or mountain, and "a" signifying a possessive form, suggesting a connection to someone living near or owning a hill or mountainous area.

Records indicate that the name was prevalent in the provinces of Gipuzkoa and Bizkaia, particularly in towns and villages nestled in the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains. Variants of the spelling include Muruga, Murva, and Muruaga, reflecting regional dialects and linguistic evolution over time.

One of the earliest documented references to the MURUA surname comes from a land deed from the year 1237, which mentions a person named Lope Murua as a landowner in the village of Oñati, in the Gipuzkoa province. This suggests the name's association with landowning families in the area.

In the 14th century, the MURUA name appears in a genealogical record detailing the lineage of Juan Murua, a prominent local figure in the town of Getaria, known for its fishing and whaling industries. This Juan Murua, born in 1342, was said to have been involved in maritime trade and exploration voyages.

During the 16th century, a notable bearer of the MURUA surname was Pedro Murua, a skilled architect and stonemason born in 1523 in the town of Azpeitia. He was responsible for the construction of several churches and public buildings in the region, including the Iglesia de San Sebastián in his hometown.

In the 18th century, the MURUA name gained further recognition with José Antonio Murua, a Basque writer and scholar born in 1714 in Bilbao. He authored several works on Basque language and culture, contributing significantly to the preservation and promotion of Basque heritage.

Another prominent figure was María Murua, a 19th-century activist and educator from Donostia-San Sebastián. Born in 1832, she played a pivotal role in advocating for women's education and establishing several schools for girls in the region.

Over the centuries, the MURUA surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including farmers, artisans, clergy members, and intellectuals, contributing to the rich cultural tapestry of the Basque Country and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Murúa

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

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

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

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