2000
#14,370
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,910
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.71
Rare Last name
Mullan
An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Maoláin, meaning "descendant of Maolán," a personal name meaning "little bald one."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,102 Americans carry the last name Mullan. That puts it at #15,406 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.61 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 163,061 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mullan 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 Mullan with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.1K
1 in 163,061
Census rank
#15,406
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,833 bearers of the surname Mullan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.61 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15406th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mullan, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.2%) and Two or More Races (3.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mullan
The surname Mullan has its roots in Ireland, originating from the Gaelic word 'mullán', which means a small hill or summit. It is believed to have emerged as a toponymic surname, derived from a place name referring to a specific location associated with a hill or elevated ground.
During the Middle Ages, the name Mullan was predominantly found in the northern counties of Ireland, particularly in Ulster and parts of Connacht. It is recorded in ancient Irish annals and manuscripts, indicating its widespread use among Irish families.
One of the earliest known references to the name Mullan can be traced back to the 14th century, when it appeared in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of Irish history compiled by medieval Irish monks. This record suggests that the surname was well-established by that time.
In the 16th century, the surname Mullan was found in several historical documents, including the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, which were letters patent issued by the English Crown during the Tudor period. This indicates that the name was present among Irish families during the reign of the Tudor monarchs.
Notable individuals with the surname Mullan throughout history include:
1. Thomas Mullan (1786-1864), an Irish poet and songwriter from County Tyrone, renowned for his patriotic verses and ballads.
2. Dermot Mullan (1638-1708), an Irish Catholic priest and scholar who served as the Archbishop of Cashel from 1687 to 1708.
3. John Mullan (1832-1909), an Irish-American engineer and surveyor who played a crucial role in the construction of the Northern Pacific Railroad in the late 19th century.
4. Elizabeth Mullan (1815-1892), an Irish-born Australian philanthropist and social reformer, known for her work in establishing schools and advocating for women's rights.
5. Terence Mullan (1914-1989), an Irish artist and painter renowned for his landscape paintings depicting the rugged beauty of the Irish countryside.
The name Mullan has also been associated with various place names throughout Ireland, such as Mullan, a townland in County Monaghan, and Mullan Hill, a prominent landmark in County Tyrone.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mullan
Among Census respondents with the surname Mullan, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.2%) and Two or More Races (3.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Mullan 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 Mullan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.7% · 1,570
- Hispanic or Latino5.2% · 96
- Two or more races3.5% · 64
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.5% · 46
- Black or African American1.6% · 30
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.5% · 27
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mullan
Mullan 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
#14,631
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,034
+124 bearers (+6.5%)
Per 100,000 0.69
Rank movement Down 261 places
2020
#15,406
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,833
-201 bearers (-9.9%)
Per 100,000 0.61
Rank movement Down 775 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #14,370 | 1,910 | 0.71 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,631 | 2,034 | 0.69 | +124 bearers (+6.5%) | Down 261 places |
| 2020 | #15,406 | 1,833 | 0.61 | -201 bearers (-9.9%) | Down 775 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 Mullan 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 | #14,631 | #15,406 | -5.3% |
| Count | 2,034 | 1,833 | -9.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.69 | 0.61 | -11.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mullan bearers went from 2,034 to 1,833 (-9.9% change). The surname moved down 775 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,631 to #15,406.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Mullan
FAQ
Mullan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mullan?
Name Census estimates that about 2,102 living Americans carry the surname Mullan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 163,061 residents.
How common is Mullan?
Mullan ranks #15,406 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.61 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 1,833 people with the surname Mullan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,102), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.61 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.61 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 Mullan.
Has Mullan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mullan went from 2,034 recorded bearers to 1,833. That is a decrease of 201 (-9.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #14,631 to #15,406.
What does the Census say about the background of Mullan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mullan, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.2%) and Two or More Races (3.5%). 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 Mullan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.7% (1,570 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mullan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.7%), Hispanic (5.2%), Two or More Races (3.5%). 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 Mullan (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 Mullan mean?
An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Maoláin, meaning "descendant of Maolán," a personal name meaning "little bald one." 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 Mullan (0.61 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 people are called Mullan?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Mullan on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.