Explore the Family Name Mu

The meaning of Mu

1. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 穆, meaning ‘solemnity, virtue’: (i) from Mu (穆), posthumous title of the Duke Mu of Song (died 720 BC), the 14th ruler of the state of Song (located in present-day Shangqiu in Henan province). He earned the title Mu, 穆, because of his virtue during his reign. (ii) from the Qiu Mu Ling (丘穆陵) family, members of the Xianbei ethnic group in ancient northern China, who changed their original surname to Mu (穆) during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD). (iii) from Mu (穆), posthumous title of the Duke Mu of Lu (died 377 BC), ruler of the state of Lu (located in present-day Shandong province). 2. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 慕: (i) said to be traced back to Yu Mu (虞慕), ancestor of the legendary Emperor Shun (c.23rd century bc). (ii) shortened form of the compound surname Mu-Rong (慕容), a surname from the Xianbei and Tuyuhun ethnic group in northern China. (iii) a surname from Korean and Jurchen ethnic groups in northeastern China. 3. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 母, meaning ‘female’ in Chinese: (i) shortened form of compound Chinese surname Mu-Qiu (母邱) or Wu-Qiu (毋邱), originally name of a fief in the state of Qi granted to a brother of King Xuan of Qi (ruler of the state of Qi, died 301 BC) during Warring States period (475–221 BC). (ii) possibly a miswritten form of another Chinese surname Wu (毋), see Wu 6. 4. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 牧, meaning ‘herd’ in Chinese: (i) said to be borne by the descendants of Li Mu (力牧), an official during the reign of the legendary emperor Huang Di, the ‘Yellow Emperor’ (c.27th century bc). (ii) from the placename Mu (牧), the name of a fief (located in Henan province) granted to an official in the state of Wey (衛) during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). 5. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 沐, meaning ‘wash one’s hair’ in ancient Chinese: (i) adopted as a surname by the descendants of Duan-Mu Ci (520–456 BC), one student of Confucius; (ii) possibly from the name of the Mu river (located in present-day Shandong province); (iii) a surname traced back to other minority ethnic groups in China. 6. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 木, meaning ‘wood’ in Chinese: (i) shortened form of the compound surname Duan-Mu (端木), a surname traced back to Duan-Mu Ci (端木賜), a student of Confucius (551–479 BC). Some descendants of the Duan-Mu family adopted this surname in order to escape from feud. (ii) from the second element of the personal name Zi Mu (子木), style name of Kong Jinfu, an official in the state of Song during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (iii) traced back to some minority ethnic groups (such as the Naxi and Korean ethnic groups). 7. Chinese: another Mandarin form of the surname 牟 (based on another Mandarin pronunciation), see Mou 1. 8. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surnames 苗 and 繆, see Miao 1 and 2. 9. Burmese (Karen): from a personal name usually forming part of a compound name, with various possible meanings, including ‘alive’ and ‘daughter’. Compare Moo 3. — Note: Since Karens do not have hereditary surnames, this name was registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US. 10. Hawaiian: unexplained. Some characteristic forenames: Chinese Chung, Chang, Jian, Li, Tong, Bin, Chao, Cheng, Chin, Chuan, Der, Feng, Fung, Hua.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.