Explore the Family Name Mun
The meaning of Mun
1. Korean: written 문, in Chinese characters 文, meaning ‘writing’ or ‘literature’, and 門, meaning ‘doors’ or ‘gates’. There are only these two Chinese characters for the surname Mun. Although some records indicate that there are as many as 131 Mun clans, only three can be traced. The founding ancestor of the oldest of these, the Namp’yŏng Mun clan, was named Mun Ta-sŏng and was born in 472. According to legend, he was found by Shilla King Chabi Maripkan in a stone box at the end of a rainbow by a lotus pond. The Chinese character Mun was inscribed in the box, so the king gave that as a surname to the child. The founders of the other two Mun clans were originally named Cha and Kim, but after studying in China they changed their names to Mun (because of the meaning of the Chinese character 文, explained above). Compare Moon 4. 2. Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 門, see Men 4. 3. Chinese: variant of Man. 4. English: variant of Munn. Some characteristic forenames: Korean Young, Yong, Chong, Hyung, In, Song, Bok, Dae, Hui, Jae, Kwang, Kyong, Kyong Tae, Kyung, Myung, Ae, Cheol, Chul, Chul Ho, Chung, Hak, Hong Suk, Hyung Chul, In Ho.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Mun in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Mun has increased significantly over the years. In 2000, Mun was ranked as the 16,535th most popular surname in the United States, but by 2010, it had risen to the 14,038th position—a 15.1% increase in popularity. The number of individuals with this surname also grew from 1,600 in 2000 to 2,146 in 2010, marking a growth rate of 34.13%. The proportion of people bearing the Mun surname per 100,000 population also rose from 0.59 in 2000 to 0.73 in 2010, which is a 23.73% increase.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #16,535 | #14,038 | 15.1% |
| Count | 1,600 | 2,146 | 34.13% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.59 | 0.73 | 23.73% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Mun
When it comes to the ethnic identity associated with the surname Mun, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the majority of Muns identify as Asian/Pacific Islander, even though there was a slight decrease in this group from 91.88% in 2000 to 90.68% in 2010. The second largest group is Whites, showing a small increase from 3.94% to 4.24% over the decade. Those identifying as two or more races decreased slightly from 2.06% to 1.82%. There were notable increases among those identifying as Hispanic and Black, with Hispanics increasing from 1.31% to 2.10% (a 60.31% change) and Blacks increasing from 0.81% to 1.16% (a 43.21% change). The percentage of American Indian and Alaskan Native remained unchanged at 0.00% in both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 91.88% | 90.68% | -1.31% |
| White | 3.94% | 4.24% | 7.61% |
| Hispanic | 1.31% | 2.1% | 60.31% |
| Two or More Races | 2.06% | 1.82% | -11.65% |
| Black | 0.81% | 1.16% | 43.21% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |