Explore the Family Name Moule
The meaning of Moule
English: 1. variant of Moll. 2. nickname from Middle English mule, moul ‘mule’ (Old English mūl), perhaps for someone who was stupid or stubborn, or for someone who worked with mules. In the post-medieval period the surname will have been pronounced to rhyme with fowl and been spelled Mowl(e), but it was probably interchangeable with the synonymous Mule, and Moyle, which are derived from Old French mule. 3. occasionally perhaps from a rare Middle English personal name Mule, spelled Mole in accordance with Norman spelling conventions. It represents either Old English Mūl(a) or Old Norse Múli, both probably derivatives of a ‘mule’ word as in 2 above, or from Old Norse múli ‘snout’. If it survived as a surname it will have been spelled Mowl(e) in the post-medieval period and pronounced to rhyme with the word owl.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Moule in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Moule has seen a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 70,679 and had fallen to 72,771 by 2010, marking a decrease of 2.96%. However, the actual count of individuals with this surname increased from 258 to 267 during the same period, signifying a growth rate of 3.49%. Despite this increase, its proportion per 100,000 people decreased from 0.1 to 0.09, indicating a decline of 10%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #70,679 | #72,771 | -2.96% |
| Count | 258 | 267 | 3.49% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.1 | 0.09 | -10% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Moule
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the majority of people with the Moule surname identified as White, accounting for 93.8% in 2000 and increasing slightly to 94.38% in 2010. There was a notable increase of 73.71% in the population identifying with two or more races, moving from 1.94% in 2000 to 3.37% in 2010. Meanwhile, the percentage of individuals who identified as Black dropped to zero in 2010 from 2.33% in 2000. No change was observed among those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, or American Indian and Alaskan Native.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93.8% | 94.38% | 0.62% |
| Two or More Races | 1.94% | 3.37% | 73.71% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 2.33% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |