2000
#18,153
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,414
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.52
Rare Last name
Mira
An Italian surname referring to someone with keen eyesight or viewing abilities.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,443 Americans carry the last name Mira. That puts it at #13,619 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.71 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 140,301 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mira 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
2.4K
1 in 140,301
Census rank
#13,619
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,130 bearers of the surname Mira in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.71 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13619th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mira, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 61.4%. The next largest groups are White (23.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (12.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mira
The surname Mira is of Italian origin, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the medieval period in the regions of northern Italy. It is believed to be derived from the Latin word "mirari," meaning "to admire" or "to wonder at." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who was admired or respected within their community.
In the 13th century, records from the city of Genoa mention a family with the surname Mira. This family was likely among the earliest bearers of the name and may have played a role in its spread throughout the region. Additionally, there are mentions of individuals with the name Mira in historical documents from the cities of Milan and Venice during the same time period.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Mira was Giovanni Mira, a prominent merchant from the city of Florence who lived in the late 14th century. His successful trading ventures and contributions to the city's economic growth likely brought recognition to the Mira name.
In the 15th century, a notable figure named Antonio Mira was a skilled painter and sculptor who worked in the city of Verona. His artistic creations, which can still be seen in churches and museums throughout the region, have preserved his legacy and the Mira name.
During the Renaissance period, a family with the surname Mira gained prominence in the city of Venice. One member, Marco Mira (1500-1578), was a renowned humanist scholar and philosopher who wrote extensively on various subjects, including literature, history, and ethics.
Another individual of note was Girolamo Mira (1551-1618), a Venetian physician and anatomist who made significant contributions to the field of medicine through his groundbreaking work on the human anatomy and his detailed anatomical drawings.
In the 17th century, the Mira name was associated with a noble family in the city of Milan. One prominent member, Cesare Mira (1620-1695), served as a high-ranking military officer and played a crucial role in defending the city during conflicts with neighboring regions.
Throughout the centuries, the surname Mira has been present in various parts of Italy, and its bearers have left their mark in diverse fields, from art and literature to science and military endeavors. While the name's origins can be traced back to the medieval period, its legacy continues to be woven into the rich tapestry of Italian history and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mira
Among Census respondents with the surname Mira, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 61.4%. The next largest groups are White (23.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (12.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Mira 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 Mira surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino61.4% · 1,308
- White23.7% · 505
- Asian and Pacific Islander12.2% · 260
- Two or more races1.7% · 36
- Black or African American0.8% · 18
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mira
Mira 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
#15,625
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,870
+456 bearers (+32.2%)
Per 100,000 0.63
Rank movement Up 2,528 places
2020
#13,619
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,130
+260 bearers (+13.9%)
Per 100,000 0.71
Rank movement Up 2,006 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #18,153 | 1,414 | 0.52 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #15,625 | 1,870 | 0.63 | +456 bearers (+32.2%) | Up 2,528 places |
| 2020 | #13,619 | 2,130 | 0.71 | +260 bearers (+13.9%) | Up 2,006 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 Mira 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 | #15,625 | #13,619 | 12.8% |
| Count | 1,870 | 2,130 | 13.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.63 | 0.71 | 13.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mira bearers went from 1,870 to 2,130 (+13.9% change). The surname moved up 2,006 positions in the national ranking, going from #15,625 to #13,619.
FAQ
Mira surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mira?
Name Census estimates that about 2,443 living Americans carry the surname Mira. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 140,301 residents.
How common is Mira?
Mira ranks #13,619 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.71 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,130 people with the surname Mira. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,443), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.71 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.71 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Mira.
Has Mira become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mira went from 1,870 recorded bearers to 2,130. That is an increase of 260 (+13.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #15,625 to #13,619.
What does the Census say about the background of Mira?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mira, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 61.4%. The next largest groups are White (23.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (12.2%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Mira in the 2020 Census, accounting for 61.4% (1,308 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mira appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (61.4%), White (23.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (12.2%). 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 Mira (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 Mira mean?
An Italian surname referring to someone with keen eyesight or viewing abilities. 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 Mira (0.71 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 common is the surname Mira?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Mira is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.