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

Music, 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 Music surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Music in America

Music is the 6825th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Music surname appeared 4,940 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Music.

We can also compare 2010 data for Music 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 Music

The surname "Music" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, likely derived from the Old English word "musica," which meant "the art of music." The name is thought to have been an occupational surname given to musicians, singers, or those involved in the production or performance of music.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "Music" can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1190, where a person named "Musicus" is mentioned. This Latin form of the name further supports the occupational origin.

In the 13th century, the surname appears in various forms, such as "le Musiciun" and "leMusican," reflecting the evolution of the English language and the transition from Old English to Middle English.

The name "Music" was relatively common in the counties of Somerset and Gloucestershire, where several families bearing this surname resided. Some notable individuals from these regions include John Music (born c. 1485), a landowner in Somerset, and Thomas Music (c. 1520-1592), a prominent merchant and alderman in Gloucester.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname "Music" began to spread across England, with records showing individuals bearing this name in various locations, such as London, Yorkshire, and Lancashire.

One notable figure from this period was William Music (c. 1545-1622), a composer and musician who served as a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal under Queen Elizabeth I and King James I.

In the 18th century, the name "Music" was found in various parts of England, with records indicating families in places like Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, and Norfolk. One notable figure was John Music (1683-1763), a farmer and landowner in Oxfordshire.

As the name spread across England, it also found its way to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to North America, where it was carried by immigrants from England and Scotland.

Throughout its history, the surname "Music" has been associated with various occupations and professions, including musicians, composers, singers, and those involved in the arts and entertainment industry. Some other notable individuals bearing this surname include Robert Music (1748-1825), a Scottish poet and songwriter, and William Music (1830-1910), an English artist and illustrator.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Music

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

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

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

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