2000
#9,629
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,098
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.15
Uncommon Last name
Gu
A Chinese surname meaning "valley" or "grain," or referring to a person from the ancient Chinese state of Gu.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 10,420 Americans carry the last name Gu. That puts it at #3,807 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 32,894 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gu surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Gu with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
10K
1 in 32,894
Census rank
#3,807
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
9.1K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 9,087 bearers of the surname Gu in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3807th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.8%. The next largest groups are White (3.0%) and Hispanic (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gu
The surname "Gu" is of Chinese origin, tracing its roots back to the ancient Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC - 256 BC). It is believed to have originated from the state of Gu, located in present-day Henan province. The name is derived from the Chinese character "穀", which means "grain" or "crops", reflecting the agricultural heritage of the region.
During the Tang Dynasty (618 AD - 907 AD), the name "Gu" appeared in various historical records and manuscripts, indicating its widespread use among noble families and scholars. One notable figure was Gu Kuang, a renowned poet and calligrapher who lived from 725 AD to 816 AD.
In the Song Dynasty (960 AD - 1279 AD), the "Gu" surname gained further prominence. The famous scholar and statesman Gu Yanwu (1613 AD - 1682 AD) made significant contributions to the study of Chinese history and philosophy. His works, such as the "Ri Zhi Lu" (日知錄), have been widely studied and influential.
The Ming Dynasty (1368 AD - 1644 AD) saw the rise of several notable figures bearing the "Gu" surname. Gu Tingxiu (1592 AD - 1656 AD) was a renowned painter and calligrapher, known for his innovative techniques and mastery of the "xieyi" (寫意) style. Gu Xiancheng (1550 AD - 1612 AD) was a prominent scholar and philosopher who made notable contributions to the Neo-Confucian movement.
During the Qing Dynasty (1644 AD - 1912 AD), the "Gu" surname continued to be prominent. Gu Zhun (1718 AD - 1794 AD) was a renowned scholar and official who served as a high-ranking member of the Hanlin Academy, the imperial academy of scholars. Gu Zhengxie (1646 AD - 1711 AD) was a celebrated playwright and poet, known for his contributions to the development of the "kunqu" (崑曲) opera form.
The surname "Gu" has a rich historical legacy, with many notable figures contributing to various fields, including literature, philosophy, art, and statesmanship. Its origins can be traced back to the ancient Zhou Dynasty, reflecting the agricultural roots of the region where it first emerged.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gu
Among Census respondents with the surname Gu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.8%. The next largest groups are White (3.0%) and Hispanic (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Gu bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Gu surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander94.8% · 8,619
- White3.0% · 271
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 70
- Black or African American0.7% · 65
- Two or more races0.7% · 61
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gu
Gu appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#6,183
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,532
+2,434 bearers (+78.6%)
Per 100,000 1.88
Rank movement Up 3,446 places
2020
#3,807
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,087
+3,555 bearers (+64.3%)
Per 100,000 3.04
Rank movement Up 2,376 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,629 | 3,098 | 1.15 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,183 | 5,532 | 1.88 | +2,434 bearers (+78.6%) | Up 3,446 places |
| 2020 | #3,807 | 9,087 | 3.04 | +3,555 bearers (+64.3%) | Up 2,376 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Gu surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,183 | #3,807 | 38.4% |
| Count | 5,532 | 9,087 | 64.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.88 | 3.04 | 61.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gu bearers went from 5,532 to 9,087 (+64.3% change). The surname moved up 2,376 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,183 to #3,807.
FAQ
Gu surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gu?
Name Census estimates that about 10,420 living Americans carry the surname Gu. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 32,894 residents.
How common is Gu?
Gu ranks #3,807 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 9,087 people with the surname Gu. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (10,420), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Gu.
Has Gu become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gu went from 5,532 recorded bearers to 9,087. That is an increase of 3,555 (+64.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #6,183 to #3,807.
What does the Census say about the background of Gu?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.8%. The next largest groups are White (3.0%) and Hispanic (0.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Gu in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.8% (8,619 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gu appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (94.8%), White (3.0%), Hispanic (0.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Gu (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Gu mean?
A Chinese surname meaning "valley" or "grain," or referring to a person from the ancient Chinese state of Gu. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Gu (3.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Gu?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.