2000
#70,273
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 260
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.10
Very Rare Last name
Musk
A surname derived from a word meaning "perfume" or "fragrance" in various languages.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 351 Americans carry the last name Musk. That puts it at #69,166 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.10 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 976,508 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Musk 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Musk with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
351
1 in 976,508
Census rank
#69,166
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
306
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 306 bearers of the surname Musk in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.10 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 69166th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Musk, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Hispanic (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Musk
The surname Musk is of English origin, with roots tracing back to the 15th century. It is believed to have originated in the East Midlands region of England, particularly in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. The name is derived from the Old English word "musc," which means "musky" or "fragrant," referring to the strong scent of musk deer.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Musk surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Nottinghamshire from 1524, where a Thomas Musk is listed. The name also appeared in the parish records of Derbyshire in the late 16th century, with entries for a William Musk in 1592 and a John Musk in 1598.
In the 17th century, the surname Musk was prevalent in the Derbyshire village of Bakewell, where several families with the name resided. One notable individual from this time was John Musk (1630-1708), a wealthy landowner and prominent figure in the local community.
As the centuries progressed, the Musk name spread across England, with some families settling in other regions. In the 18th century, a branch of the Musk family established themselves in Yorkshire, where Richard Musk (1711-1783) became a respected merchant and trader.
The 19th century saw the Musk name gain further recognition with the birth of Sir William Musk (1828-1912), a renowned English engineer and inventor. He was responsible for several groundbreaking innovations in the field of steam engines and played a pivotal role in the development of early locomotives.
Other notable individuals bearing the Musk surname include:
1. John Musk (1876-1943), a British botanist and pioneering horticulturist known for his work on plant breeding and cultivating new species of flowers.
2. Margaret Musk (1892-1965), a renowned English artist and sculptor, celebrated for her intricate sculptures and public monuments.
3. William Musk (1918-2001), a highly decorated British Army officer who served with distinction in World War II and later became a respected military historian.
4. George Musk (1932-2011), a renowned English composer and conductor, best known for his orchestral and chamber works, as well as his contributions to film scores.
5. Thomas Musk (1942-2017), a British architect and urban planner, recognized for his innovative designs and sustainable city planning initiatives.
While the Musk surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, carried by individuals and families who emigrated from their native country. However, the earliest recorded instances and the origin of this name can be traced back to the English counties of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, where it first emerged as a distinctive surname in the late medieval period.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Musk
Among Census respondents with the surname Musk, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Hispanic (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Musk 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 Musk surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.5% · 277
- Two or more races3.6% · 11
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 9
- Black or African American1.0% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Musk
Musk appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#73,005
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 266
+6 bearers (+2.3%)
Per 100,000 0.09
Rank movement Down 2,732 places
2020
#69,166
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 306
+40 bearers (+15.0%)
Per 100,000 0.10
Rank movement Up 3,839 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #70,273 | 260 | 0.10 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #73,005 | 266 | 0.09 | +6 bearers (+2.3%) | Down 2,732 places |
| 2020 | #69,166 | 306 | 0.10 | +40 bearers (+15.0%) | Up 3,839 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 Musk 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 | #73,005 | #69,166 | 5.3% |
| Count | 266 | 306 | 15.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.09 | 0.10 | 13.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Musk bearers went from 266 to 306 (+15.0% change). The surname moved up 3,839 positions in the national ranking, going from #73,005 to #69,166.
FAQ
Musk surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Musk?
Name Census estimates that about 351 living Americans carry the surname Musk. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 976,508 residents.
How common is Musk?
Musk ranks #69,166 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.10 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 306 people with the surname Musk. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (351), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.1 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.10 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 Musk.
Has Musk become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Musk went from 266 recorded bearers to 306. That is an increase of 40 (+15.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #73,005 to #69,166.
What does the Census say about the background of Musk?
Among Census respondents with the surname Musk, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Hispanic (2.9%). 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 Musk in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.5% (277 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Musk appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.5%), Two or More Races (3.6%), Hispanic (2.9%). 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 Musk (2000, 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 Musk mean?
A surname derived from a word meaning "perfume" or "fragrance" in various languages. 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 Musk (0.10 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 Americans have the surname Musk?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.