Explore the Family Name Moa
The meaning of Moa
1. Norway: habitational name from a farm name, an inflectional form of Old Norse mór ‘plain, moor, heath’. 2. Galician: habitational name from any of the places called Moa or A Moa, from Latin molam ‘millstone’, referring to a great stone. 3. Tongan: unexplained.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Moa in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Moa has experienced a significant shift between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the rank of the surname was 53,659, but by 2010, it had improved to 44,356, marking a rise in popularity by approximately 17.34%. The count of individuals with this surname also increased from 361 in 2000 to 485 in 2010, representing a growth of 34.35%. Consequently, the proportion of the Moa surname per 100,000 people grew by 23.08%, moving from 0.13 to 0.16.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #53,659 | #44,356 | 17.34% |
| Count | 361 | 485 | 34.35% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.13 | 0.16 | 23.08% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Moa
The Decennial U.S. Census data also provides an overview of the ethnic identity associated with the Moa surname. Between 2000 and 2010, the largest percentage increase was seen in the Asian/Pacific Islander category, rising from 41.00% to 50.10%. However, there were decreases in other ethnic identities. The White population decreased by 25.54%, shifting from 22.71% to 16.91%. Similarly, the Black population fell by 39.02%, from 3.05% to 1.86%. The Hispanic community saw a minor decrease of 5.76%, dropping from 26.04% to 24.54%, while the percentage of those identifying with two or more races slightly declined by 8.33%, from 7.20% to 6.60%. No change was recorded for the American Indian and Alaskan Native group.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 41% | 50.1% | 22.2% |
| Hispanic | 26.04% | 24.54% | -5.76% |
| White | 22.71% | 16.91% | -25.54% |
| Two or More Races | 7.2% | 6.6% | -8.33% |
| Black | 3.05% | 1.86% | -39.02% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |