2000
#2,747
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,056
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.47
Uncommon Last name
Hu
A Chinese surname meaning "tiger," or referring to a place called Hu or someone from that area.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 34,097 Americans carry the last name Hu. That puts it at #1,164 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 9.95 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 10,052 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hu 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 Hu with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
34K
1 in 10,052
Census rank
#1,164
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
9.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
30K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 29,734 bearers of the surname Hu in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 9.95 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1164th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.8%. The next largest groups are White (2.7%) and Two or More Races (1.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hu
The surname "Hu" originated in China, with its roots tracing back to ancient times. It is a monosyllabic Chinese surname that has been recorded in historical documents for centuries.
One of the earliest known references to the name "Hu" can be found in the Shiji, a monumental historical record compiled by Sima Qian in the 1st century BC. This seminal work mentions several individuals bearing the surname, indicating its widespread use during the Han Dynasty.
The name "Hu" is believed to have derived from various sources, including ancient place names or geographical locations associated with the surname's bearers. Some scholars suggest it may have originated from the word "hu," which in certain Chinese dialects meant "lake" or "marsh," implying that the name's earliest bearers may have resided near such bodies of water.
During the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), the surname "Hu" gained further prominence, with several notable figures bearing the name. One such individual was Hu Guanxiu (659-713 AD), a renowned poet and calligrapher who served as a high-ranking official during the reign of Emperor Zhongzong.
In the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the Hu family produced several influential scholars and officials. Hu Anguo (1074-1138 AD), a renowned poet and statesman, held pivotal positions in the imperial court and was known for his literary prowess.
The Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368 AD) witnessed the rise of Hu Weiyong (1283-1354 AD), a highly respected military strategist and commander. His victories in numerous campaigns against rebel forces earned him a prominent place in Chinese military history.
During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the Hu surname continued to be associated with scholarly and literary achievements. Hu Yinglin (1551-1602 AD), a renowned philosopher and writer, made significant contributions to the study of Chinese classics and literary theory.
In more recent centuries, the Hu surname has been carried by notable figures across various fields. Hu Shih (1891-1962 AD), a philosopher and scholar, played a pivotal role in the May Fourth Movement and advocated for cultural reforms in China.
Throughout its long history, the surname "Hu" has been deeply rooted in Chinese culture and has produced numerous notable individuals who have left their mark on various aspects of society, from literature and scholarship to military strategy and statesmanship.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hu
Among Census respondents with the surname Hu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.8%. The next largest groups are White (2.7%) and Two or More Races (1.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Hu 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 Hu surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander94.8% · 28,178
- White2.7% · 808
- Two or more races1.3% · 396
- Hispanic or Latino0.6% · 184
- Black or African American0.5% · 160
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hu
Hu 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
#1,797
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 19,999
+7,943 bearers (+65.9%)
Per 100,000 6.78
Rank movement Up 950 places
2020
#1,164
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 29,734
+9,735 bearers (+48.7%)
Per 100,000 9.95
Rank movement Up 633 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,747 | 12,056 | 4.47 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #1,797 | 19,999 | 6.78 | +7,943 bearers (+65.9%) | Up 950 places |
| 2020 | #1,164 | 29,734 | 9.95 | +9,735 bearers (+48.7%) | Up 633 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 Hu 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 | #1,797 | #1,164 | 35.2% |
| Count | 19,999 | 29,734 | 48.7% |
| Per 100K | 6.78 | 9.95 | 46.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hu bearers went from 19,999 to 29,734 (+48.7% change). The surname moved up 633 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,797 to #1,164.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Hu
FAQ
Hu surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hu?
Name Census estimates that about 34,097 living Americans carry the surname Hu. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 10,052 residents.
How common is Hu?
Hu ranks #1,164 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 9.95 per 100,000 residents, which is about 10 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 29,734 people with the surname Hu. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (34,097), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 9.95 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 9.95 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 10 of them to have the surname Hu.
Has Hu become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hu went from 19,999 recorded bearers to 29,734. That is an increase of 9,735 (+48.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #1,797 to #1,164.
What does the Census say about the background of Hu?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.8%. The next largest groups are White (2.7%) and Two or More Races (1.3%). 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 Hu in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.8% (28,178 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hu appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (94.8%), White (2.7%), Two or More Races (1.3%). 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 Hu (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 Hu mean?
A Chinese surname meaning "tiger," or referring to a place called Hu or someone from that area. 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 Hu (9.95 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 are called Hu?
If you just want to know how common the surname Hu is, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.