MÜLLER Surname Meaning and Family History

Caucasian artisan working in flour mill
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The Müller last name is a German occupational surname for "miller," from the Middle High German mülnære or müller. MILLER is the English version of this common German surname.

MÜLLER is the most common German surname, as well as the most common last name in Switzerland and in the French départements of Bas-Rhin and Moselle. Muller or Müller is also the fifth most common surname in Austria.

Surname Origin: German

Alternate Surname Spellings: MUELLER, MOLLER, MUILLER, MUELER, MULER, MILLER, MOELLER

Famous People with the Surname MÜLLER:

  • Erwin Wilhelm Müller - German physicist, the first person to experimentally observe atoms
  • Filip Müller - Holocaust survivor and author of Eyewitness Auschwitz - Three Years in the Gas Chambers
  • Willy Müller - inventor of the first automatic answering machine
  • Hermann Joseph Muller -  American geneticist, educator, and Nobel laureate

Where is the MULLER Surname Most Common?

The Muller surname, according to surname distribution information from Forebears, is most prevalent in Switzerland (ranked 5th in the country), Luxembourg (2nd), France (37th), South Africa (38th), and Austria (39th). The Mueller spelling, on the other hand, is most prevalent in Germany, where it is the 10th most common surname. The Mueller spelling is also common in Switzerland (12th), in addition to the Muller variant.

WorldNames PublicProfiler also highlights the Muller surname's popularity in Switzerland and indicates that it is most common in Nordwestschweiz by more than double any other region. It is also fairly common in Espace Mittelland and Zentralschweiz in Switzerland, and Alsace and Lorraine in France.

Genealogy Resources for the Surname MÜLLER, MUELLER and MULLER


Common German Surnames & Their Meanings
Uncover the meaning of your German last name with this free guide to German surnames meanings and origins.

The Mueller DNA Project
This DNA project connects individuals with the Mueller surname, or variants such as Muller, who are interested in using DNA testing to help discover common Müller ancestors.

Muller Family Crest - It's Not What You Think
Contrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Muller family crest or coat of arms for the Muller surname. Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male-line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted.

MULLER Family Genealogy Forum
This free message board is focused on descendants of Muller ancestors around the world. Search the forum for posts about your Muller ancestors, or join the forum and post your own queries. 

FamilySearch - MULLER Genealogy
Explore over 1.2 million results from digitized historical records and lineage-linked family trees related to the Muller surname on this free website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

MULLER Surname Mailing List
The free mailing list for researchers of the Muller surname and its variations includes subscription details and searchable archives of past messages.

GeneaNet - Muller Records
GeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Muller surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries.

The Muller Genealogy and Family Tree Page
Browse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the Muller surname from the website of Genealogy Today.

Ancestry.com: Muller Surname
Explore over 5.6 million digitized records and database entries, including census records, passenger lists, military records, land deeds, probates, wills and other records for the Muller surname on the subscription-based website, Ancestry.com.
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References: Surname Meanings & Origins

Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967.

Dorward, David. Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998.

Fucilla, Joseph. Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003.

Hanks, Patrick, and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989.

Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003.

Reaney, P.H. A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997.

Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

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Powell, Kimberly. "MÜLLER Surname Meaning and Family History." ThoughtCo, Feb. 16, 2021, thoughtco.com/muller-last-name-meaning-and-origin-1422572. Powell, Kimberly. (2021, February 16). MÜLLER Surname Meaning and Family History. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/muller-last-name-meaning-and-origin-1422572 Powell, Kimberly. "MÜLLER Surname Meaning and Family History." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/muller-last-name-meaning-and-origin-1422572 (accessed March 29, 2024).