Explore the Family Name Mueller
The meaning of Mueller
German (mainly Müller) and Jewish (Ashkenazic; also Müller); Dutch: occupational name for a miller, Middle High German müller, German Müller. In Germany, Müller, Mueller is the most frequent of all surnames; in the US it is often changed to Miller or appears as Muller. See also Mulder. Some characteristic forenames: German Kurt, Otto, Hans, Erwin, Fritz, Gerhard, Klaus, Heinz, Helmut, Wolfgang, Manfred, Horst.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Mueller in the United States?
Based on the data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Mueller has experienced a slight decrease in popularity over the decade from 2000 to 2010. Ranked as the 467th most common surname in 2000, it fell to the 523rd position by 2010, marking an 11.99% decrease in rank. The actual count of people with the Mueller surname also slightly decreased from 64,305 in 2000 to 64,191 in 2010. This indicates a negligible change of -0.18%. Despite the drop in rank and count, the proportion of the Mueller surname per 100,000 population only decreased by 8.72%, remaining relatively consistent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #467 | #523 | -11.99% |
| Count | 64,305 | 64,191 | -0.18% |
| Proportion per 100k | 23.84 | 21.76 | -8.72% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Mueller
In terms of ethnicity, again based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the Mueller surname was predominantly associated with individuals identifying as White, though there was a minor decrease from 96.96% in 2000 to 95.66% in 2010. Meanwhile, other ethnic identities saw increases during this period. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native increased by 33.33%, 25.27%, 34.78%, and 33.33% respectively. The most significant increase was seen amongst those identifying as Hispanic, which rose from 1.24% in 2000 to 2.02% in 2010, a 62.90% increase.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.96% | 95.66% | -1.34% |
| Hispanic | 1.24% | 2.02% | 62.9% |
| Two or More Races | 0.91% | 1.14% | 25.27% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.48% | 0.64% | 33.33% |
| Black | 0.23% | 0.31% | 34.78% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.18% | 0.24% | 33.33% |
Mueller ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Mueller is French & German, which comprises 44.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (27.7%) and Eastern European (9.5%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| French & German | 44.0% |
| British & Irish | 27.7% |
| Eastern European | 9.5% |
| Other | 18.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Mueller
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Mueller have recent ancestry locations spanning a few countries, mostly in United Kingdom, and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 65.90% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 65.80% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 65.60% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 65.50% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 65.30% |
What Mueller haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Mueller is R-U152, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-U152 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include E-V13 and R-M405, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Schmidt, Weber, Meyer, Wagner, Hoffman, Schneider, Bauer, Miller, Fischer, Wolf.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Mueller surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Mueller have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Mueller" Surname 41.9%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Mueller" Surname 26.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Mueller" Surname 17.5%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Mueller" Surname 17.0%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Mueller?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Mueller are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition