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Mao Family History

Mao Surname Meaning

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 毛 meaning ‘hair feather’ in Chinese: (i) from Mao (毛) the name of an ancient state (first located in Shaanxi province and later moved to Henan province) granted to Shu Zheng the eighth son of King Wen of Zhou (1152–1056 BC). After the state was annexed by the state of Han during the Warring States period (475–221 BC) the name of the state was adopted as a surname. (ii) from the placename Mao (毛) the name of a fief (located in Henan province) granted to Bo Dan or Bo Ming the ninth son of King Wen of Zhou (1152–1056 BC). (ii) the surname is also traced back to the Mao (毛) family from the Di (氐) ethnic groups prior to the Qin dynasty (221–206 BC) which were scattered across western China.

Chinese: Mandarin or Cantonese form of the surname 茅 meaning ‘cogon’ in Chinese: from Mao (茅) the name of an ancient state (located in Jinxiang in Shandong province) granted to Mao Shu (茅叔) a grandson of King Wen of Zhou (1152–1056 BC). After the state was annexed by the state of Zou in 493 BC the name of the state was adopted as a surname.

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 冒: (i) from the second element of the personal name Fen Mao (蚡冒) style name of King Li of Chu (ruler of the state of Chu died 741 BC). (ii) adopted in place of other Chinese surnames including Ji (姬) and Mao (媢). (iii) said to be borne by some descendants of Tuohuan king of Zhennan (died 1439 AD) who fled to Rugao (located in present-day Jiangsu province) after the extinction of the Yuan dynasty (1206 – 1368 AD).

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 茆 meaning ‘cogon grass’ in Chinese: (i) said to be borne by some descendants of Zhai Bo one grandson of King Wen of Zhou (1152–1056 BC); (ii) also said to be adopted in place of another Chinese surname Mao (茅 see Mao sense).

Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 牟 see Mou Cambodian: written ម៉ៅ of Chinese origin (see 1 above). Vietnamese: from the Chinese surname 毛 see 1 above. In some cases possibly also Breton (also Le Mao): nickname status name or occupational name from Old Breton mauu ‘young boy; servant’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Mao family from?

You can see how Mao families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Mao family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Mao families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 2 Mao families living in Lancashire. This was about 29% of all the recorded Mao's in United Kingdom. Lancashire and 1 other county had the highest population of Mao families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Mao surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Mao ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Baker was the top reported job for people in the USA named Mao. 34% of Mao men worked as a Baker.

View Census Data for Mao | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Baker
    34%
  • Laborer
    23%
  • Salesman
    23%
  • Knitter
    23%

What Mao family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Mao. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Mao census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

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Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Mao. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Mao. For the veterans among your Mao ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Mao lifespan?

Between 1971 and 2004, in the United States, Mao life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1986, and highest in 1979. The average life expectancy for Mao in 1971 was 79, and 70 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Mao

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Mao ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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