2000
#51,024
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 384
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.14
Very Rare Last name
Muni
A locational surname indicating a place of origin or residence.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 532 Americans carry the last name Muni. That puts it at #49,062 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.16 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 644,275 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Muni 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
532
1 in 644,275
Census rank
#49,062
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
464
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 464 bearers of the surname Muni in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.16 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 49062nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Muni, the largest self-reported group is White at 48.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (29.1%) and Hispanic (14.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Muni
The surname MUNI originated in India and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "muni," which means "sage" or "ascetic." The name was likely given to individuals who lived a life of spiritual contemplation and detachment from material possessions.
In ancient Hindu scriptures and texts, the term "muni" was used to refer to enlightened sages or hermits who had attained a high level of spiritual knowledge and wisdom. These individuals were revered for their teachings and contribution to the philosophical and religious traditions of India.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname MUNI can be found in historical documents from the Mughal Empire, which ruled over large parts of the Indian subcontinent from the 16th to the 19th century. During this period, the name was commonly associated with Brahmin families and scholars who studied and taught Hindu philosophy and sacred texts.
One notable figure with the surname MUNI was Adi Shankara Muni, a renowned Hindu philosopher and theologian who lived in the 8th century CE. He is credited with reviving and reforming the Advaita Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy and establishing several important monasteries across India.
Another prominent individual was Raja Ram Mohan Roy Muni, a Bengali Renaissance figure who lived from 1772 to 1833. He was a key figure in the Bengal Renaissance and played a significant role in the abolition of the practice of Sati (widow burning) in British India.
In the literary realm, Munshi Premchand Muni (1880-1936) was a celebrated writer and novelist who is regarded as one of the greatest literary figures in modern Hindi literature. His works often explored themes of social injustice, poverty, and the struggles of ordinary people in India.
The name MUNI can also be found in historical records from the Maratha Empire, which was a major power in the Indian subcontinent during the 17th and 18th centuries. One notable figure from this period was Malhar Rao Holkar Muni (1693-1766), a prominent military leader and the founder of the Holkar dynasty of the Maratha Empire.
Throughout history, the surname MUNI has been associated with individuals who have made significant contributions to various fields, including philosophy, literature, and social reform. Despite its ancient origins, the name continues to be widely used in different parts of India, reflecting the enduring legacy of the country's rich cultural and spiritual traditions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Muni
Among Census respondents with the surname Muni, the largest self-reported group is White at 48.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (29.1%) and Hispanic (14.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Muni 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 Muni surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White48.1% · 223
- Asian and Pacific Islander29.1% · 135
- Hispanic or Latino14.9% · 69
- Two or more races4.7% · 22
- Black or African American3.2% · 15
Timeline
Historical Census data for Muni
Muni 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
#51,941
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 400
+16 bearers (+4.2%)
Per 100,000 0.14
Rank movement Down 917 places
2020
#49,062
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 464
+64 bearers (+16.0%)
Per 100,000 0.16
Rank movement Up 2,879 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #51,024 | 384 | 0.14 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #51,941 | 400 | 0.14 | +16 bearers (+4.2%) | Down 917 places |
| 2020 | #49,062 | 464 | 0.16 | +64 bearers (+16.0%) | Up 2,879 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 Muni 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 | #51,941 | #49,062 | 5.5% |
| Count | 400 | 464 | 16.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.14 | 0.16 | 10.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Muni bearers went from 400 to 464 (+16.0% change). The surname moved up 2,879 positions in the national ranking, going from #51,941 to #49,062.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Muni
FAQ
Muni surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Muni?
Name Census estimates that about 532 living Americans carry the surname Muni. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 644,275 residents.
How common is Muni?
Muni ranks #49,062 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.16 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 464 people with the surname Muni. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (532), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.16 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.16 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 Muni.
Has Muni become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Muni went from 400 recorded bearers to 464. That is an increase of 64 (+16.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #51,941 to #49,062.
What does the Census say about the background of Muni?
Among Census respondents with the surname Muni, the largest self-reported group is White at 48.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (29.1%) and Hispanic (14.9%). 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 Muni in the 2020 Census, accounting for 48.1% (223 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Muni appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (48.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (29.1%), Hispanic (14.9%). 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 Muni (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 Muni mean?
A locational surname indicating a place of origin or residence. 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 Muni (0.16 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 Muni?
You can see how many people have the last name Muni on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.