Manganese (II) oxide (MnO) nanoparticles with nitrogen-doped (N-doped) carbon coating were fabricated via an efficient carbonization process using pyrrole, acrylonitrile and pyridine as different carbon sources, respectively. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) characterizations reveal the uniform carbon coating on the MnO nanoparticles. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements demonstrate the presence of pyridinic N and pyrrolic N in the carbon coating. The nanocomposite using pyridine as carbon source exhibited superior cycling and rate performance, which could deliver a reversible capacity of 634mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at a current density of 100mA g−1 and the capacities of 591, 510, 440, 310 mAh g−1 at 100, 200, 400 and 800mA g−1, respectively. From the comparison of the electrochemical performances of the MnO and N-doped carbon nanocoposites derived from different carbon sources, pyridinic N contributes more to the improvement of cycling performance and rate capability than pyrrolic N.