Are you looking for a comprehensive list of last names beginning with “M”?
We’ve used the 2000 and 2010 U.S. Census to compile over six hundred surnames that start with the letter M and had at least five thousand people with the name
In the table below, you’ll see the total number of bearers for the name in each census.
Meanings Of Popular Last Names Starting With M
Here are the top ten most common last names beginning with M in the 2010 U.S. census.
They are in descending order of how common they are.
Miller
- Bearers: 1,161,437
- Origins: across Europe
With over one million people named Miller in the United States, this is one of the most common names in the country.
It was ranked seventh in the 2010 census, just behind Garcia.
Aside from English speaking countries, the name appears across Europe in variants like Mueller (Germanic) and Moller (Scandinavian).
The origins are in the Old Norse word for a mill keeper. This is an example of an occupational surname passed from one generation to the next.
Martinez
- Bearers: 1,060,159
- Origins: Hispanic
Martinez was ranked as the tenth most common name in the 2010 census. Ninety-three percent of people with the name declared as Hispanic in the census.
The name simply means “son of Martin”. But what about the meaning of “Martin”?
The Ancient Roman Latin origin is Martinus, the name of the Roman God of War i.e. Mars. Early adopters would have been soldiers and warriors.
Moore
- Bearers: 724,374
- Origins: English or Irish
This is a name with different origins depending on the region.
The English origins refer to people living near a marsh or a moor. This is an example of a topographic name i.e. it comes from the landscape.
The Irish origins are from the name “Ó Mordha”, which is the Anglicized form of “the son of the great man”.
Martin
- Bearers: 702,625
- Origins: across Europe
The name Martin is historically found across Europe. I’ve already mentioned the meaning from the Roman God Mars.
But the name spread in the Middle Ages partly in reverence to St Martin of Tours, a fourth-century famous saint.
Mitchell
- Bearers: 384,486
- Origins: English, Scottish surname
There are several origins and meanings. Some early bearers in England and Scotland took the personal name Michael as a surname.
Other bearers were given the name in reference to their size. “Michel” was the old (Middle) English word for “big”.
Morris
- Bearers: 318,884
- Origins: English
The name was introduced to England during the Norman Conquest.
It derives from the French personal name of Maurice.
Morales
- Bearers: 311,777
- Origins: Hispanic
Morales means “son of Moral”. The Spanish origin comes from the term for a mulberry bush or blackberry bush.
Historically, the early bearers likely lived in areas with plentiful blackberry bushes.
Murphy
- Bearers: 308,417
- Origins: Irish
Murphy is an Anglicization of the Gaelic name O’Murchadha. This means “descendant of Murchadha”.
The meaning comes from old Gaelic words for sea (muir) and battle (cath).
Morgan
- Bearers: 286,280
- Origins: Welsh
Morgan was an early personal name in Wales that was adopted as a surname.
Mendoza
- Bearers: 242,771
- Origins: Hispanic
The origins of the name are in the Spanish words for “cold mountain”. There are several places with this name in the Biscay region. This is an example of a habitational surname i.e. people named after the place they come from.
Myers
- Bearers: 229,895
- Origins: Irish
- Meaning: Jovial Person
Famous People With Surnames Beginning With M
Here is an assorted collection of ten famous people with a family name starting with M.
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) was one of the most famous political leaders in recent history.
He first became known worldwide as an imprisoned activist. He would later become the first black President of South Africa.
George RR Martin
George RR Martin is an American novelist.
His best-known work is the series “Game of Thrones”.
Freddie Mercury
The late Freddie Mercury was a British singer and songwriter who was born in Zanzibar to parents of Indian heritage.
He was the frontman for the rock band, Queen.
Karl Marx
Karl Marx (1818-1883) was a German philosopher.
His best-known works are Das Kapital and the Communist Manifesto.
Toni Morrison
Toni Morrison (1931-2019) was an American novelist.
Her best-known work was the novel Beloved which won the Pulitzer Prize.
Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney is an English singer and songwriter. He was one of the Beatles before a long and successful solo career.
Perhaps his best-known works (and my favorites) are “Yesterday” and “Let It Be”.
Macbeth
Macbeth was a general and King of Scotland.
He was fictionalized in the great Shakespearean play of the same name.
Bob Marley
Bob Marley (1945-1981) was a Jamaican singer and songwriter. He was a pioneer of Reggae music.
Some of his best-known works (and my favorites) are “No Woman, No Cry” and “Buffalo Soldier”.
Claude Monet
The French surname Monet belonged to Claude Monet (1840-1926), a founder of the Impressionist movement.
The painting below is the “Banks of the Seine” from 1880.
Eddie Murphy
The most famous bearer of this Irish name isn’t Irish. Eddie Murphy is an American actor who started his career in entertainment as a stand-up comedian.
Perhaps his best-known work is Beverly Hills Cop.
Last Names Starting With M
Let’s start with names from Ma to Mackenzie.
If you’re curious about the two-letter name of Ma, I cover it in some detail in our article on the shortest surnames starting with M.
I’ll summarize here by saying it is of Chinese origin and was adopted by several military leaders.
Mace can be a Polish surname. The meaning refers to a sea of bitterness.
Macedo is of Portuguese origin and refers to an apple grove.
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Ma | 19,030 | 28,452 |
| Maas | 9,410 | 9,285 |
| Mabe | 6,877 | 6,939 |
| Mabry | 12,508 | 12,846 |
| Macdonald | 45,782 | 46,717 |
| Mace | 12,114 | 12,222 |
| Macedo | 5,797 | 8,433 |
| Macgregor | 5,064 | 5,161 |
| Machado | 18,429 | 23,170 |
| Macias | 46,739 | 62,227 |
| Maciel | 8,407 | 11,500 |
From Mack to MacPherson
Mack had over seventy-one thousand bearers in the 2010 U.S. census.
Mack is a short form of any of the Celtic names starting with Mac in this list. It literally means “son” and is of Scottish and Irish origin.
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Mack | 67,154 | 71,056 |
| Mackay | 9,248 | 9,886 |
| Mackenzie | 13,174 | 13,733 |
| Mackey | 29,718 | 30,749 |
| Mackie | 6,510 | 6,686 |
| Macklin | 6,592 | 7,140 |
| Maclean | 7,127 | 7,504 |
| Macleod | 7,542 | 7,886 |
| Macmillan | 5,553 | 5,688 |
| Macon | 6,592 | 7,008 |
| Macpherson | 5,464 | 5,579 |
From Macy to Maguire
Maddox is of Welsh origin and is a variant of Maddock. The meaning derives from the Welsh word for good or benevolent.
Madison is also a name of English origin. It means “son of Mathew”.
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Macy | 5,217 | 5,203 |
| Madden | 34,472 | 35,438 |
| Maddox | 34,970 | 36,250 |
| Mader | 5,321 | 5,434 |
| Madera | 7,160 | 9,583 |
| Madigan | 5,670 | 5,707 |
| Madison | 26,548 | 28,411 |
| Madrid | 20,834 | 25,854 |
| Madrigal | 19,632 | 27,033 |
| Madsen | 16,425 | 17,364 |
From Maes to Maguire
Maggio is an Italian surname that comes from the word for the month of May.
Magnuson means “son of Magnus”, and Magnus has several spelling variants on the list.
Magnus has Germanic origins. The meaning derives from the Latin word for “great” (magnus). The early bearers were powerful families or military leaders.
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Maes | 5,640 | 6,033 |
| Maestas | 7,830 | 8,296 |
| Magallanes | 6,294 | 8,852 |
| Magana | 27,571 | 39,105 |
| Magdaleno | 5,780 | 7,956 |
| Magee | 26,031 | 27,720 |
| Maggard | 6,359 | 6,625 |
| Maggio | 5,836 | 5,877 |
| Magill | 5,325 | 5,692 |
| Magnuson | 7,957 | 7,980 |
| Maguire | 15,853 | 16,713 |
From Mahaffey to Majors
Many of the names in this section are of Irish origins, which we will cover in another list.
Let’s take a look instead at Major. This has different meanings depending on the region.
The East European origins refer to the military title of a middle-ranking officer (a major).
The name arrived into England with the Norman Conquest and is a variant of Mauger.
The meaning may come from the Old German words for a spear (gar).
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Mahaffey | 7,996 | 8,079 |
| Mahan | 14,937 | 15,375 |
| Maher | 22,503 | 23,222 |
| Mahler | 5,167 | 5,222 |
| Mahon | 9,327 | 9,441 |
| Mahoney | 39,440 | 40,397 |
| Mai | 12,027 | 17,445 |
| Maier | 13,929 | 14,135 |
| Main | 12,631 | 12,776 |
| Majewski | 5,109 | 5,126 |
| Major | 19,791 | 20,977 |
| Majors | 9,480 | 9,747 |
From Maki to Maloney
The Spanish roots of the name Maldonado come from the term for ill-favored.
The name Malik is prominent in Pakistan. The meaning derives from an Arabic word for a king. It was conferred on local heads of a village.
The name Malone is a common surname in Ireland. It comes from Anglicized version of the Gaelic term for “John’s Servant”.
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Maki | 9,155 | 9,190 |
| Malcolm | 9,643 | 10,618 |
| Maldonado | 88,016 | 121,526 |
| Malik | 10,376 | 14,925 |
| Malinowski | 5,833 | 5,895 |
| Mallard | 5,602 | 6,583 |
| Mallett | 6,584 | 6,556 |
| Mallory | 16,987 | 17,578 |
| Malloy | 16,056 | 16,546 |
| Malone | 69,257 | 71,286 |
| Maloney | 30,434 | 30,671 |
From Manchester to Manns
Mann is Germanic in origin and it means what it sounds like in English. It was conferred as a nickname for men who were particularly strong or imposing.
Manley is of English origins. There are several places in England called Manley. The habitational name would have been conferred upon people from those villages and towns.
The meaning is derived from the Old English words for a woodland clearing.
Mancini is of Italian origin and means someone who is left-handed.
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Manchester | 5,078 | 5,182 |
| Mancilla | 5,467 | 7,908 |
| Mancini | 10,881 | 11,382 |
| Mancuso | 9,659 | 9,711 |
| Mandel | 6,532 | 6,703 |
| Maness | 8,065 | 8,095 |
| Mangan | 5,756 | 6,315 |
| Mangum | 9,271 | 9,515 |
| Manley | 25,159 | 25,136 |
| Mann | 81,022 | 83,510 |
| Manning | 72,069 | 74,949 |
| Manns | 5,921 | 6,312 |
From Manriquez to Marble
Maples is an English topographical name. It was taken by people who lived near woodland of maple trees.
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Manriquez | 5,934 | 8,119 |
| Mansfield | 18,498 | 18,725 |
| Manson | 8,090 | 7,663 |
| Manuel | 24,227 | 27,529 |
| Manzanares | 5,249 | 7,480 |
| Manzano | 6,670 | 9,608 |
| Manzo | 10,595 | 13,635 |
| Mapes | 5,484 | 5,456 |
| Maples | 10,559 | 10,603 |
| Marble | 5,397 | 5,796 |
From March to Mariano
Marcum is one of the more common names in this section.
This name is a variant of Markham. There are several places with that name in England, and people would adopt the names of where they resided.
The meaning derives from the Old English words for the boundary of a village.
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| March | 10,553 | 10,719 |
| Marchand | 6,251 | 6,610 |
| Marchant | 5,311 | 5,834 |
| Marchese | 6,483 | 6,670 |
| Marcotte | 5,771 | 5,923 |
| Marcum | 15,925 | 16,246 |
| Marcus | 17,360 | 17,671 |
| Marek | 7,517 | 8,042 |
| Mares | 12,041 | 14,931 |
| Mariano | 7,111 | 9,091 |
From Marin to Marks
Marks is the most common name in this section.
This is a variant of Mark and the English name derives from the Roman name Marcus.
The name spread in Europe in part due to families adopting the name of Mark the Evangelist in the New Testament.
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Marin | 31,786 | 43,904 |
| Marino | 30,735 | 31,687 |
| Marion | 14,364 | 14,777 |
| Mariscal | 6,401 | 8,368 |
| Mark | 15,916 | 14,265 |
| Marker | 5,938 | 6,438 |
| Markey | 5,225 | 5,435 |
| Markham | 12,763 | 13,137 |
| Markle | 5,401 | 5,893 |
| Markley | 7,176 | 7,581 |
| Marks | 48,281 | 49,177 |
From Marler to Marra
Marquez is the most common name in this section. We cover this popular Hispanic surname in our list of Hispanic surnames starting with M.
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Marler | 6,584 | 7,058 |
| Marley | 6,075 | 6,220 |
| Marlin | 5,415 | 5,602 |
| Marlow | 13,185 | 13,205 |
| Marlowe | 6,318 | 6,543 |
| Marquardt | 8,398 | 8,749 |
| Marques | 6,386 | 7,520 |
| Marquez | 79,951 | 107,533 |
| Marquis | 8,449 | 8,737 |
| Marr | 10,365 | 10,724 |
| Marra | 5,526 | 6,065 |
From Marrero to Martell
Marshall is a medieval surname of English and Scottish origin. The meaning refers to someone who cared for horses.
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Marrero | 16,783 | 21,109 |
| Marriott | 5,051 | 5,547 |
| Marroquin | 12,874 | 19,661 |
| Marrs | 5,740 | 5,658 |
| Marsh | 60,999 | 62,304 |
| Marshall | 177,213 | 183,922 |
| Marston | 6,127 | 6,535 |
| Marte | 6,090 | 8,867 |
| Martel | 8,362 | 9,056 |
| Martell | 9,568 | 11,158 |
From Martens to Martz
I’ve already given some origins for Martin and Martinez in the section in this article on the most common names starting with M.
Let me say a bit more about Saint Martin of Tours, whose popularity spread the name in the Middle Ages.
Martin was a Roman soldier stationed in France. The legend goes that he met a shivering beggar and cut his own cloak in two to help the man. Martin later became a bishop.
Remnants of the cloak became a holy relic revered by the kings of the Franks. It became a very popular French family surname.
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Martens | 9,749 | 10,096 |
| Martin | 672,711 | 702,625 |
| Martindale | 6,970 | 6,962 |
| Martines | 8,041 | 9,363 |
| Martinez | 775,072 | 1,060,159 |
| Martini | 6,988 | 7,612 |
| Martino | 12,889 | 13,128 |
| Martins | 9,062 | 11,751 |
| Martinson | 7,639 | 8,048 |
| Martz | 8,433 | 8,250 |
From Marvin to Masterson
Mason is also a common name in this section with over 160 thousand bearers in the 2010 census.
The name is of English origin. The meaning derives from the Middle English word for a tradesman who works with stone.
We still call them stone masons to this day.
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Marvin | 10,375 | 10,310 |
| Marx | 9,404 | 11,716 |
| Mashburn | 6,675 | 6,688 |
| Mason | 155,484 | 160,213 |
| Massa | 5,651 | 6,111 |
| Massey | 53,459 | 55,595 |
| Massie | 10,525 | 10,920 |
| Mast | 12,869 | 15,932 |
| Masters | 23,106 | 23,533 |
| Masterson | 11,673 | 12,117 |
From Mata to Matz
Matthews is the most common name in this section. When you run your eye down the list, you’ll see it has many variants.
They all derive from the name Matthew, which is found in various forms across Europe.
The European origin is from the Hebrew name Matiyahu, which means “gift of God”.
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Mata | 34,888 | 48,120 |
| Mateo | 8,540 | 13,746 |
| Matheny | 8,369 | 8,595 |
| Mather | 6,602 | 7,621 |
| Mathes | 6,468 | 6,553 |
| Matheson | 7,302 | 7,585 |
| Mathew | 9,311 | 13,808 |
| Mathews | 50,608 | 51,592 |
| Mathias | 8,286 | 8,851 |
| Mathis | 51,796 | 54,217 |
| Matias | 7,295 | 11,635 |
From Matlock to Matz
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Matlock | 12,017 | 12,599 |
| Matney | 5,207 | 5,518 |
| Matos | 16,819 | 21,258 |
| Matson | 12,100 | 12,320 |
| Matteson | 6,949 | 7,148 |
| Matthew | 6,486 | 6,436 |
| Matthews | 124,839 | 131,303 |
| Mattingly | 14,661 | 15,050 |
| Mattison | 7,083 | 7,485 |
| Mattox | 9,881 | 10,099 |
| Mattson | 15,825 | 16,203 |
| Matz | 5,123 | 5,143 |
From Mauldin to Mayberry
May is the most common name in this section with over one hundred thousand bearers in 2010.
There are several origins for this name in Europe. In England, it was a variant or nickname for Matthew, which we looked at in the previous section.
Elsewhere, it was also given to people born in the month of May. The month is named after Maia, a Roman goddess of fertility.
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Mauldin | 9,713 | 10,011 |
| Maupin | 6,060 | 6,051 |
| Maurer | 20,333 | 20,707 |
| Mauro | 7,483 | 7,722 |
| Maxey | 10,461 | 10,584 |
| Maxfield | 5,455 | 5,987 |
| Maxwell | 65,779 | 67,961 |
| May | 101,726 | 103,306 |
| Maya | 7,227 | 10,313 |
| Mayberry | 14,060 | 14,326 |
From Mayer to Mazza
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Mayer | 39,111 | 39,555 |
| Mayers | 5,592 | 6,076 |
| Mayes | 24,853 | 25,256 |
| Mayfield | 29,136 | 29,805 |
| Mayhew | 8,754 | 9,085 |
| Maynard | 35,648 | 36,460 |
| Mayo | 33,126 | 35,228 |
| Mayorga | 6,864 | 9,659 |
| Mays | 38,914 | 40,408 |
| Mazur | 8,721 | 8,733 |
| Mazza | 8,078 | 8,043 |
List of last names beginning with “Mc”
There are 165 names in the 2010 U.S. census starting with Mc that have at least five thousand bearers.
These names are Irish or Scottish, and we will cover them in a separate list.
From Meacham to Medina
Let’s take a look at Meeks and Meek which are variants. The origins are different depending on the region.
The English name originates from a term bestowed on a mild-mannered or gentle person.
The Dutch name originates from the Middle Dutch word for bread. Bakers of bread would take the name.
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Meacham | 6,115 | 6,190 |
| Mead | 21,919 | 22,727 |
| Meade | 21,264 | 22,091 |
| Meador | 10,174 | 10,292 |
| Meadows | 42,884 | 44,500 |
| Meagher | 5,619 | 5,784 |
| Means | 15,808 | 16,203 |
| Mears | 9,706 | 9,988 |
| Medeiros | 18,121 | 19,031 |
| Medina | 139,353 | 188,497 |
From Medley to Meister
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Medley | 13,152 | 13,630 |
| Medlin | 10,511 | 10,750 |
| Medlock | 6,013 | 6,416 |
| Medrano | 29,386 | 40,261 |
| Meehan | 14,348 | 14,630 |
| Meek | 14,549 | 14,970 |
| Meeker | 8,394 | 8,781 |
| Meeks | 28,426 | 29,457 |
| Mehta | 9,691 | 14,342 |
| Meier | 24,886 | 25,486 |
| Meister | 7,423 | 7,885 |
From Mejia to Meza
Mejia is a Spanish surname that derives from the Hebrew term Messiah.
Melendez is common in the Puerto Rican community. The meaning comes from the Spanish word for sacrifice.
Meyer has Germanic origins. The meaning comes from the title of mayor given to the head of a village or a wealthy landlord.
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Mejia | 66,534 | 104,057 |
| Melancon | 6,258 | 6,496 |
| Melchor | 5,498 | 8,319 |
| Melendez | 42,139 | 56,230 |
| Melgar | 5,303 | 9,106 |
| Mello | 11,263 | 11,670 |
| Melo | 6,743 | 9,731 |
| Melson | 7,120 | 5,054 |
| Melton | 48,594 | 50,069 |
| Melvin | 19,523 | 20,008 |
From Mena to Meneses
Mendoza is a Spanish Basque last name that derives from the place of the same name.
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Mena | 14,299 | 19,522 |
| Menard | 10,973 | 11,543 |
| Menchaca | 6,618 | 8,169 |
| Mendenhall | 9,988 | 10,213 |
| Mendes | 8,034 | 10,162 |
| Mendez | 112,736 | 161,717 |
| Mendiola | 7,980 | 10,752 |
| Mendoza | 168,567 | 242,771 |
| Menendez | 9,045 | 11,609 |
| Meneses | 5,695 | 8,548 |
From Meraz to Merrick
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Meraz | 6,106 | 8,616 |
| Mercado | 46,437 | 60,761 |
| Mercer | 33,797 | 34,431 |
| Merchant | 13,421 | 14,692 |
| Mercier | 7,753 | 8,149 |
| Meredith | 23,937 | 24,679 |
| Merino | 7,480 | 11,684 |
| Merkel | 6,577 | 6,991 |
| Merrell | 8,414 | 8,809 |
| Merrick | 8,360 | 8,629 |
From Merrill to Metcalf
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Merrill | 31,758 | 32,620 |
| Merriman | 8,656 | 9,085 |
| Merritt | 44,626 | 45,594 |
| Mertz | 7,805 | 7,841 |
| Mesa | 11,341 | 13,566 |
| Messenger | 5,824 | 6,022 |
| Messer | 19,819 | 20,306 |
| Messick | 6,349 | 6,441 |
| Messina | 12,626 | 12,717 |
| Metcalf | 23,540 | 23,946 |
From Metz to Meza
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Metz | 20,010 | 20,366 |
| Metzger | 20,386 | 20,771 |
| Metzler | 6,612 | 6,657 |
| Meyer | 149,664 | 150,895 |
| Meyers | 56,744 | 57,127 |
| Meza | 37,662 | 53,230 |
From Metz to Mizell
We covered the occupational name Miller in the opening section of the most common names beginning with M.
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Metz | 20,010 | 20,366 |
| Metzger | 20,386 | 20,771 |
| Metzler | 6,612 | 6,657 |
| Meyer | 149,664 | 150,895 |
| Meyers | 56,744 | 57,127 |
| Meza | 37,662 | 53,230 |
| Michael | 39,369 | 40,736 |
| Michaels | 16,696 | 17,528 |
| Michalski | 6,866 | 6,914 |
| Michaud | 14,408 | 14,910 |
From Michel to Milburn
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Michel | 21,487 | 25,578 |
| Michels | 6,901 | 7,225 |
| Mick | 5,305 | 5,299 |
| Mickelson | 7,405 | 7,267 |
| Middleton | 40,708 | 42,578 |
| Mielke | 5,422 | 5,482 |
| Miguel | 7,282 | 10,861 |
| Milam | 11,554 | 11,787 |
| Milan | 5,318 | 6,268 |
| Milano | 5,150 | 5,609 |
| Milburn | 7,754 | 7,871 |
From Miles to Milton
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Miles | 81,933 | 84,942 |
| Miley | 6,930 | 7,365 |
| Millan | 9,127 | 10,733 |
| Millar | 6,168 | 6,883 |
| Millard | 12,622 | 12,843 |
| Miller | 1,127,803 | 1,161,437 |
| Milligan | 21,887 | 22,416 |
| Milliken | 5,635 | 5,857 |
| Mills | 147,909 | 151,942 |
| Milne | 6,055 | 6,258 |
| Milner | 11,790 | 12,153 |
| Milton | 19,899 | 20,703 |
From Mims to Mintz
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Mims | 18,248 | 19,139 |
| Min | 5,028 | 6,982 |
| Mincey | 5,233 | 5,839 |
| Miner | 20,627 | 21,439 |
| Mink | 5,590 | 5,922 |
| Minnick | 7,525 | 7,581 |
| Minor | 29,634 | 30,702 |
| Minter | 9,828 | 10,301 |
| Minton | 13,667 | 13,737 |
| Mintz | 5,901 | 5,853 |
From Miracle to Mizell
Mitchell is one of the most popular surnames starting with M. It comes from the French name Michel, which itself is a vernacular form of Michael.
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Miracle | 5,924 | 6,291 |
| Miramontes | 6,841 | 8,884 |
| Miranda | 67,646 | 93,628 |
| Mireles | 12,863 | 17,186 |
| Mitchel | 6,161 | 5,570 |
| Mitchell | 367,433 | 384,486 |
| Mix | 5,841 | 5,344 |
| Mixon | 12,154 | 12,394 |
| Mize | 11,873 | 11,908 |
| Mizell | 5,232 | 5,429 |
From Moats to Mohammed
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Moats | 5,556 | 5,778 |
| Mobley | 27,648 | 29,065 |
| Mock | 15,208 | 15,847 |
| Moe | 10,740 | 11,150 |
| Moeller | 13,094 | 13,915 |
| Moen | 7,895 | 8,138 |
| Moffett | 11,524 | 11,853 |
| Moffitt | 9,652 | 10,070 |
| Mohamed | 12,499 | 27,972 |
| Mohammed | 9,585 | 15,132 |
From Mohler to Moncada
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Mohler | 6,224 | 6,506 |
| Mohr | 17,153 | 17,180 |
| Mojica | 10,803 | 14,737 |
| Molina | 70,211 | 96,979 |
| Moll | 6,844 | 7,131 |
| Molloy | 6,986 | 7,238 |
| Molnar | 8,478 | 8,586 |
| Monaco | 8,054 | 8,198 |
| Monaghan | 7,613 | 7,968 |
| Monahan | 15,058 | 15,533 |
| Moncada | 6,096 | 8,574 |
From Monday to Montalvo
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Monday | 5,185 | 5,379 |
| Mondragon | 12,063 | 18,620 |
| Money | 6,261 | 6,420 |
| Monge | 5,764 | 8,418 |
| Moniz | 5,666 | 5,775 |
| Monk | 11,207 | 12,103 |
| Monroe | 53,475 | 55,136 |
| Monroy | 9,215 | 14,673 |
| Monson | 9,970 | 10,425 |
| Montague | 10,720 | 11,258 |
| Montalvo | 18,085 | 23,454 |
From Montanez to Montoya
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Montanez | 12,482 | 16,281 |
| Montano | 21,110 | 27,276 |
| Monteiro | 5,293 | 6,965 |
| Montelongo | 6,308 | 8,472 |
| Montemayor | 6,630 | 8,106 |
| Montenegro | 7,943 | 10,606 |
| Montero | 11,997 | 17,314 |
| Montes | 35,196 | 48,142 |
| Montez | 8,322 | 10,097 |
| Montgomery | 112,144 | 115,953 |
| Montiel | 7,899 | 12,376 |
| Montoya | 57,075 | 71,844 |
From Moody to Morehouse
Mooney is one of the most common surnames in Ireland. It comes from the Irish word Maonaigh, which refers to a wealthy person.
Moore is a common name in this section.
The Irish origins are from the name “Ó Mordha”, which is the Gaelic form of “the son of the great man”.
The English origins refer to people living near a marsh or a moor.
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Moody | 62,344 | 64,429 |
| Moon | 42,062 | 45,528 |
| Mooney | 32,953 | 33,555 |
| Moore | 698,671 | 724,374 |
| Moorman | 7,149 | 7,399 |
| Mora | 41,348 | 57,464 |
| Morales | 217,642 | 311,777 |
| Moran | 78,546 | 88,615 |
| Moreau | 8,473 | 9,035 |
| Morehead | 7,670 | 7,653 |
| Morehouse | 6,298 | 6,309 |
From Moreau to Moritz
Moriarty comes from the Gaelic term ó muircheartaigh. The word means navigator.
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Moreira | 6,363 | 9,037 |
| Morel | 6,309 | 8,085 |
| Moreland | 17,173 | 17,832 |
| Morelli | 6,419 | 6,532 |
| Moreno | 146,088 | 196,925 |
| Morey | 10,595 | 10,894 |
| Morgan | 276,400 | 286,280 |
| Moriarty | 9,661 | 10,005 |
| Morin | 28,184 | 29,593 |
| Moritz | 6,125 | 6,216 |
From Morley to Morton
Morris is the most common name in this section with over 300 thousand bearers in the 2010 census.
The name was introduced to England during the Norman Conquest, and it derives from the French personal name of Maurice.
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Morley | 10,815 | 11,028 |
| Morrell | 11,334 | 11,700 |
| Morrill | 7,458 | 7,598 |
| Morris | 311,754 | 318,884 |
| Morrison | 117,939 | 121,130 |
| Morrissey | 13,244 | 13,564 |
| Morrow | 55,664 | 56,840 |
| Morse | 41,112 | 41,774 |
| Mortensen | 10,208 | 11,013 |
| Mortimer | 5,358 | 5,521 |
| Morton | 58,788 | 59,213 |
From Mosby to Moss
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Mosby | 7,134 | 7,549 |
| Moseley | 16,736 | 17,130 |
| Moser | 29,485 | 30,483 |
| Moses | 36,814 | 39,216 |
| Mosher | 15,595 | 15,672 |
| Mosier | 8,384 | 8,522 |
| Moskowitz | 5,070 | 5,304 |
| Mosley | 44,698 | 47,963 |
| Mosqueda | 6,739 | 9,709 |
| Moss | 73,750 | 76,908 |
From Mota to Moyer
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Mota | 10,094 | 14,182 |
| Motley | 9,966 | 10,274 |
| Mott | 17,013 | 17,092 |
| Moua | 9,776 | 14,013 |
| Moulton | 11,580 | 12,104 |
| Mount | 8,602 | 8,754 |
| Mouton | 6,015 | 6,535 |
| Mowery | 8,002 | 8,226 |
| Moy | 8,523 | 8,781 |
| Moya | 13,526 | 18,071 |
| Moye | 7,036 | 7,657 |
| Moyer | 36,421 | 37,050 |
From Mudd to Muller
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Mudd | 6,294 | 6,391 |
| Mueller | 64,305 | 64,191 |
| Muhammad | 13,972 | 19,076 |
| Muir | 10,863 | 11,130 |
| Mulcahy | 6,444 | 6,595 |
| Mulder | 6,809 | 7,317 |
| Mulholland | 6,151 | 6,353 |
| Mulkey | 5,695 | 6,061 |
| Mull | 9,925 | 9,377 |
| Mullen | 36,442 | 37,502 |
| Muller | 26,744 | 27,216 |
From Mulligan to Munoz
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Mulligan | 14,229 | 14,590 |
| Mullin | 11,099 | 11,103 |
| Mullins | 70,286 | 71,646 |
| Mullis | 8,763 | 9,003 |
| Mumford | 6,244 | 6,413 |
| Muncy | 5,007 | 5,308 |
| Mundy | 9,390 | 9,439 |
| Munger | 5,451 | 5,639 |
| Munguia | 8,749 | 12,615 |
| Muniz | 24,203 | 30,695 |
| Munn | 8,666 | 8,751 |
| Munoz | 117,774 | 158,483 |
From Munro to Murry
I covered Murphy in the opening section on the most common names.
Here, I’ll look at Murdock and Murdoch which are Scottish variants. The Scots-Gaelic origin of the name link back to the word for a warrior of the sea.
It would have been adopted by sailors on fighting ships.
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Munro | 6,551 | 6,918 |
| Munroe | 5,639 | 6,226 |
| Munson | 17,345 | 17,745 |
| Murdock | 19,041 | 19,873 |
| Murillo | 31,964 | 45,558 |
| Muro | 6,009 | 7,916 |
| Murphy | 300,501 | 308,417 |
| Murray | 178,414 | 184,910 |
| Murrell | 10,600 | 11,347 |
| Murry | 9,590 | 10,140 |
From Muse to Myrick
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Muse | 11,184 | 12,571 |
| Musgrove | 6,554 | 6,660 |
| Musick | 6,549 | 6,972 |
| Musselman | 6,375 | 6,306 |
| Musser | 9,354 | 9,820 |
| Myer | 6,408 | 6,317 |
| Myers | 224,824 | 229,895 |
| Myles | 12,348 | 13,898 |
| Myrick | 12,896 | 13,236 |
Other Interesting Names
There are some names that don’t meet our threshold but have intriguing names.
- Mabon: the Welsh name Mabon refers to a child or a great son.
- Macchia: an Italian topographic name where the Italian word means scrubland.
- Macri: the Greek origin comes from the word for a very large person.
- Mador: A French name that is a shortened form of the Latin word amator, meaning a lover.
Scottish and Irish origin of more names
Here are some Celtic names and meanings:
- Macall: a Scottish Gaelic name meaning the battle chief’s son.
- MacAdam: a Scottish Gaelic name meaning Adam’s son.
- MacCoy: comes from the Gaelic word for fire, and also the name of a Celtic pagan god.
- MacLeary: the Gaelic term Mac Cléirigh which means “son of the priest”.
- MacNeil: comes from the personal name Niall and refers to a champion.
We have separate lists on this website of Irish surnames. These include pronunciaton of the names derived from the Gaelic versions.
Use the search bar (top right) of this page) to look for a last name of interest.
Can’t Find A Surname That You Know?
If you don’t find a name that you’re interested in, then use our surname ranking tool which doesn’t have the minimum threshold that we’ve imposed on this list.
You can learn more in our tutorial on how to check how rare any last name is.
