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

Muskrat, 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 Muskrat surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Muskrat in America

Muskrat is the 80926th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Muskrat surname appeared 234 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 Muskrat.

We can also compare 2010 data for Muskrat 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 Muskrat

The surname Muskrat is believed to have originated in North America, specifically among Native American tribes. It is derived from the animal name "muskrat," a semi-aquatic rodent found throughout much of North America.

The earliest known record of the surname Muskrat dates back to the late 17th century, when European settlers began documenting their interactions with Native American tribes. One of the earliest documented instances is in the journal of French explorer Jacques Marquette, who chronicled his travels along the Mississippi River in 1673 and mentioned encountering a Native American guide named Muskrat.

During the colonial era, it was common practice for European settlers to adopt or bestow surnames based on physical characteristics, occupations, or aspects of the natural world. The surname Muskrat likely arose as a descriptive name, either given to an individual with a perceived resemblance to the animal or as a reference to someone skilled in hunting or trapping muskrats.

In the 19th century, the name Muskrat can be found in various historical records, including census records and land deeds. One notable figure from this era was Chief Muskrat (circa 1820-1900), a leader of the Winnebago tribe in Wisconsin. He played a significant role in negotiating treaties and land agreements with the U.S. government.

Another prominent individual with the surname Muskrat was John Muskrat (1846-1920), a member of the Sioux tribe who served as an interpreter and scout for the U.S. Army during the Sioux Wars of the late 19th century. His knowledge of the Sioux language and familiarity with the region made him a valuable asset to the military.

In the early 20th century, the surname Muskrat gained recognition through the life and writings of Dayton Muskrat (1888-1965), a member of the Ojibwe tribe and a renowned author and educator. He wrote several books on Native American culture and history, including "The Muskrat Clan" and "Legends of the Muskrat People."

While the surname Muskrat is relatively uncommon today, it remains a part of the cultural heritage and history of various Native American tribes, particularly those with ties to the Great Lakes and Midwestern regions of North America.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Muskrat

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

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

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

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