2000
#11,745
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,443
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.91
Rare Last name
Mowrey
A habitational surname derived from places in England meaning "mulberry tree" or "moor island."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,526 Americans carry the last name Mowrey. That puts it at #13,269 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.74 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 135,691 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mowrey 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
2.5K
1 in 135,691
Census rank
#13,269
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,203 bearers of the surname Mowrey in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.74 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13269th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mowrey, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Hispanic (3.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mowrey
The surname Mowrey has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "mowe," meaning "a heap" or "a hillock," and "rea," meaning "a meadow." This suggests that the name may have originally been given to someone who lived near a meadow with a small hill or mound.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a census-like survey conducted in 1273-1274. Here, the name appears as "Mowere," likely referring to the same root words.
During the 13th century, the name was also mentioned in various manorial records and court rolls, often appearing as "Mowere" or "Moure." These documents provide valuable insights into the lives of individuals bearing this surname, including their occupations, land holdings, and legal disputes.
In the 16th century, the name began to take on its more modern spelling of "Mowrey." One notable individual from this period was William Mowrey, born in 1543 in Gloucestershire, England. He was a merchant and landowner, and his will, dated 1605, sheds light on his various properties and bequests.
As the name spread across England, different regional variations emerged. For instance, in the county of Somerset, the name was sometimes spelled "Mowry" or "Mowery," while in the north, variations like "Mowrey" or "Mowrie" were more common.
In the 17th century, several Mowreys made their mark in different fields. John Mowrey (1620-1678) was a prominent Puritan minister in Essex, known for his fiery sermons and writings. Meanwhile, Thomas Mowrey (1638-1692) was a successful merchant and ship owner in Bristol, involved in the lucrative transatlantic trade.
The 18th century saw the name spread beyond England's borders. One notable figure was Jeremiah Mowrey (1723-1803), an American Revolutionary War soldier from Pennsylvania, who fought in several important battles.
As migration patterns shifted, the Mowrey name found its way to other parts of the world. In the 19th century, James Mowrey (1815-1892), a Scottish-born engineer, made significant contributions to the construction of railroads and bridges in Australia.
Throughout its history, the surname Mowrey has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including farmers, tradesmen, clergy, and professionals. While its origins can be traced back to medieval England, the name has since spread across continents, reflecting the diverse journeys and accomplishments of those who carry it.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mowrey
Among Census respondents with the surname Mowrey, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Hispanic (3.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Mowrey 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 Mowrey surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.9% · 2,003
- Two or more races3.7% · 81
- Hispanic or Latino3.2% · 71
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.3% · 28
- Black or African American0.5% · 11
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mowrey
Mowrey 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
#13,124
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,335
-108 bearers (-4.4%)
Per 100,000 0.79
Rank movement Down 1,379 places
2020
#13,269
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,203
-132 bearers (-5.7%)
Per 100,000 0.74
Rank movement Down 145 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,745 | 2,443 | 0.91 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,124 | 2,335 | 0.79 | -108 bearers (-4.4%) | Down 1,379 places |
| 2020 | #13,269 | 2,203 | 0.74 | -132 bearers (-5.7%) | Down 145 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 Mowrey 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 | #13,124 | #13,269 | -1.1% |
| Count | 2,335 | 2,203 | -5.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.79 | 0.74 | -6.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mowrey bearers went from 2,335 to 2,203 (-5.7% change). The surname moved down 145 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,124 to #13,269.
FAQ
Mowrey surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mowrey?
Name Census estimates that about 2,526 living Americans carry the surname Mowrey. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 135,691 residents.
How common is Mowrey?
Mowrey ranks #13,269 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.74 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 2,203 people with the surname Mowrey. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,526), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.74 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.74 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 Mowrey.
Has Mowrey become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mowrey went from 2,335 recorded bearers to 2,203. That is a decrease of 132 (-5.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #13,124 to #13,269.
What does the Census say about the background of Mowrey?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mowrey, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Hispanic (3.2%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Mowrey in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.9% (2,003 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mowrey appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.9%), Two or More Races (3.7%), Hispanic (3.2%). 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 Mowrey (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 Mowrey mean?
A habitational surname derived from places in England meaning "mulberry tree" or "moor island." 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 Mowrey (0.74 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 Mowrey?
Find out how many people are called Mowrey on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.