Surname Muys - Meaning and Origin

Muys: What does the surname Muys mean?

The last name Muys is an ancient Dutch surname belonging to a lineage of patrician families of Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Germany. It likely originated as a form of the old Dutch, Old German words ‘meis’ or ‘muis’, which both signify mouse or rat. As such, it was likely originally a nickname referring to a swift or sly person, as the noble families of the time were sometimes referred to as ‘Rat Kings’. At present, Muys is most commonly found in Belgium and The Netherlands, where it is among the top 1000 surnames in both countries.

Over time, the nickname ‘Muys’ evolved into a valid surname. This is likely due to the fact that calling someone ‘the mouse’ was considered quite insulting in those days, and so the nickname was dropped in favour of using the actual family name. It is also possible that the surname ‘Muys’ was invented or adopted by some of these noble families in an effort to distinctively set themselves apart from others.

Today, Muys remains an ancient Dutch surname that is widely spread throughout the Low Countries and in other parts of Europe. Furthermore, it remains connected to the Rat Kings of old and continues to invite curiosity regarding its interesting origins.

Muys: Where does the name Muys come from?

The surname Muys is most common in countries in Northwestern Europe, particularly in the Netherlands and Belgium. It is a topographical last name, likely referring to someone living near a swamp or bog (muye).

Muys is a fairly common name in the Netherlands, particularly in the provinces of North Holland, Noord-Brabant and Limburg, where it ranks among the top 500 surnames. In Belgium, it is more frequent in Flanders, particularly around the city of Antwerp, where it ranks within the top 1000 surnames.

Outside of Northwestern Europe, the surname Muys is relatively uncommon. In North America, the name is found primarily in the United States and Canada, with a few scattered occurrences in Mexico. It currently ranks in the top 10,000 surnames in the United States, and in the top 4000 in Canada, with both countries having a total population bearing the Muys last name of approximately 5,000.

In the United Kingdom and Australia, the name is much less common, with the United Kingdom having fewer than 100 people with the surname, and Australia having around 500 people of the Muys name.

Overall, the surname Muys is most prevalent in Northwestern Europe, particularly in the Netherlands and Belgium, with scattered occurrences in North America, Australia and the United Kingdom.

Variations of the surname Muys

The surname Muys is derived from the Latin personal name Mauritius, which literally translates to dark-skinned. This surname can be found throughout Europe, from North America to Australia, and has a variety of spellings.

In English, the surname is spelled Muys. It can also appear as Mouys, Moyes and Moise. In Spanish, the surname is spelled Muños or Muñoz. In German, the surname can be seen as Meuse. In Italian, variants include Meese and Muese.

In France, the surname has remained largely unchanged over time and can be seen as Muys, Moyes, and even Mouys. However, in Belgium, the surname has taken on a variety of different spellings, including Muyse, Muyseren, de Muyse and demuyser.

In the Netherlands, the surname is written as Muys. Variants of the surname in the Dutch language include Meuys, Meus, Meuze and Muize. Other Dutch variants include Maat and Mey, both of which are derived from Muys.

In the Netherlands and Germany, the surname Muys is often combined with an additional surname, making it the multigenerational surname Mouysen. This surname can also be seen in other parts of Europe, notably France, where it is spelled Mouysen.

In Scotland and Northern Ireland, the surname is also spelled Muys, and in Ireland, it is sometimes perpetuated as McHugh, a variant of Meuys.

In the Scandinavian countries, the surname is often preserved as Mue, Morton and Odgaard.

The surname Muys is an excellent example of a surname with many variants, different spellings, and derived surnames from the same origin. Ultimately, each variation has preserved the original name through time and space.

Famous people with the name Muys

• Bart Muys: Belgian footballer
• Daisy Muys: Dutch sprinter and Olympian
• Eliza Muys: Dutch actor
• Nmile Muys: Belgian footballer
• Don Muys: Dutch landscape artist
• Klaas Muys: Dutch mathematician
• Jan Muys: Belgian painter
• Victoria Muys: French harpist
• Joost Muys: Dutch photographer
• Jakob Muys: Dutch conductor and composer

Other surnames

Muylwijck