Mueller History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Netherlands
Germany
Israel

The Mueller surname is thought to have originated in Bavaria, Germany. As hereditary surnames began to be adopted in that area beginning in the 12th century, people were often identified by the kind of work they did. Mueller is an occupational name for a miller, derived from the Old Germanic "Mulinari."

Early Origins of the Mueller family

The surname Mueller was first found in Southern Germany, where they were established in the Middle Ages. The name is the German form of the Latin name "Molinarius," "Mulinari" in Old German. The modern form of the name, Mueller, is documented early on in the chronicles of Swabia, wherein the knight Conrad von Husen is noted as having become known as Mueller for his ownership of a mill.

Early History of the Mueller family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mueller research. Another 239 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1631, 1670, 1675, 1693, 1749, 1752, 1758, 1779, 1806, 1807, 1815, 1825, 1828, 1829 and 1846 are included under the topic Early Mueller History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mueller Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Mueller include Mueller, Muller, Mueler, Muler, Miller, Moeller, Muellner, Milner, Molner and many more.

Early Notables of the Mueller family

Prominent among members of the name Mueller in this period include

Adam Heinrich Mueller (1779-1829), ennobled in 1828 as Ritter von Nittersdorf, who influenced Hegel and accompanied Metternich to Paris in 1815, Johann Matthias Mueller, a general in the Austrian army...

Mueller Ranking

In the United States, the name Mueller is the 587^th most popular surname with an estimated 49,740 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Mueller is ranked the 878^th most popular surname with an estimated 6,081 people with that name. 2

Mueller migration to the United States +

Thousands of German settlers came to North America between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries. The hardships of the long voyage were balanced by the opportunity to escape poverty and religious persecution. The descendents of these settlers still populate the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many also live in Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Mueller or a variant listed above:

Mueller Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Jacob Mueller, who immigrated to America with his wife and five children in 1709
Adam Mueller, who landed in New Jersey in 1709 3
Friederich Mueller, who arrived in New York in 1709-1710 3
Barbara Mueller, who arrived in Carolina in 1742 3
Hans Ulrich Mueller, who arrived in Carolina in 1743 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Mueller Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Charles Mueller, aged 31, who landed in Missouri in 1839 3
Francis Anton Mueller, who landed in New York in 1839 3
Frederick Mueller, aged 40, who landed in Missouri in 1840 3
Mr. Jacob Mueller, aged 36, from Germany who arrived in Galveston, Texas aboard the ship "Ferdinand" in 1844
Mr. Georg Mueller, (Muller), aged 25, from Germany who arrived in Galveston, Texas aboard the ship "Weser" in 1844
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Mueller Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Adele Mueller, who arrived in America in 1923 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Mueller (post 1700) +

Robert Swan Mueller III (b. 1944), American politician, U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts, 1986-87, Special Counsel for the United States Department of Justice (2017-), 6th Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (2001-2013) 4
James F. Mueller (1943-2022), American sportscaster and radio announcer of the Cleveland Browns from 1975 to 1995
Lisel Mueller (1924-2020), born Elisabeth Neumann, a German-born American Pulitzer Prize winning poet, translator and academic teacher
William J. Mueller, American politician, Village President of Lombard, Illinois; Elected 2009 4
Virginia Mueller, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from California, 1972 4
Robert S. Mueller, American politician, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California, 1998- 4
Steve Mueller, American Republican politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Texas 9th District, 2010, 2012 4
Rick Mueller, American politician, Mayor of Sierra Vista, Arizona, 2013 4
Richard W. Mueller, American politician, U.S. Consul General in Hong Kong, 1993-96 4
Richard H. Mueller, American Republican politician, Candidate for Wisconsin State Assembly from Milwaukee County 6th District, 1938 4
... (Another 53 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Mueller Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Virtute ingenioque valemus
Motto Translation: We are strong because our virtue and talent

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 27) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html