Mueller is a German occupational surname meaning "miller", derived from the Middle High German müller and Old High German muliari, referring to someone who operated a grain mill. It is the most common surname in Germany, Switzerland, and the French departments of Bas-Rhin and Moselle, and the fifth most common in Austria.
Origin: The name originated in medieval Germany, particularly in Bavaria and Southern Germany, as hereditary surnames became common from the 12th century onward.
Spelling Variations: Due to the German umlaut (ü), the name is often rendered as Mueller in English-speaking countries, especially in the U.S., where the umlaut is omitted.
Related Surnames: Similar names include Miller (English), Möller (Northern Germany and Netherlands), Molinaro (Italian), and Meunier (French).
Notable Bearers:
Robert Mueller (1944–2026), former FBI Director.
Herta Müller, Romanian-born German Nobel Prize-winning author.
Karl Alexander Müller, Swiss physicist and Nobel laureate.
Family Crest: Often features a gold shield with a Catherine wheel, and the family motto: "Virtute ingenioque valemus" ("By virtue and intelligence we thrive").