2000
#6,003
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,282
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.96
Rare Last name
Hui
A Chinese surname meaning "intelligent," "wise," or "bright," which originated from the ancient state of Chen.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,939 Americans carry the last name Hui. That puts it at #5,551 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.02 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 49,395 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hui 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 Hui with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
6.9K
1 in 49,395
Census rank
#5,551
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,051 bearers of the surname Hui in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.02 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5551st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hui, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.1%) and White (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hui
The surname HUI has its origins in China and can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is believed to have derived from the Old Chinese word "Hui" which meant "prosperity" or "affluence". The name was initially concentrated in the regions of Guangdong and Fujian provinces.
During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the name HUI appeared in several official records and documents, indicating its widespread use among the Chinese population. One notable individual bearing this surname was Hui Dong (1001-1059), a renowned scholar and poet who served as a high-ranking official in the imperial court.
In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the HUI surname gained further prominence. Historical records mention a village called "Huizhen" in Guangdong province, which was likely named after a prominent HUI family residing there. One of the earliest recorded examples of the name comes from the famous military strategist and statesman Hui Yingchun (1565-1635), who played a crucial role in the establishment of the Ming Dynasty.
The Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD) saw the spread of the HUI surname across various regions of China. One notable figure from this period was Hui Jiang (1703-1786), a highly respected scholar and calligrapher who authored several influential works on Chinese literature and philosophy.
During the 19th century, the HUI surname gained international recognition with the rise of Hui Neng (638-713), a renowned Chinese Buddhist monk and the Sixth Patriarch of the Chan (Zen) tradition. His teachings and writings had a profound impact on the development of Chan Buddhism and continue to influence Buddhist thought and practice to this day.
In more recent times, the HUI surname has been carried by several prominent individuals, including Hui Ying (1923-2002), a celebrated Chinese actress known for her roles in numerous classic films, and Hui Shiru (1938-2022), a renowned Chinese painter and calligrapher who contributed significantly to the preservation and promotion of traditional Chinese art.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hui
Among Census respondents with the surname Hui, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.1%) and White (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Hui 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 Hui surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander92.2% · 5,581
- Two or more races3.1% · 189
- White2.8% · 170
- Hispanic or Latino1.5% · 89
- Black or African American0.3% · 20
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hui
Hui 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
#5,966
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,769
+487 bearers (+9.2%)
Per 100,000 1.96
Rank movement Up 37 places
2020
#5,551
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,051
+282 bearers (+4.9%)
Per 100,000 2.02
Rank movement Up 415 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,003 | 5,282 | 1.96 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,966 | 5,769 | 1.96 | +487 bearers (+9.2%) | Up 37 places |
| 2020 | #5,551 | 6,051 | 2.02 | +282 bearers (+4.9%) | Up 415 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 Hui 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 | #5,966 | #5,551 | 7.0% |
| Count | 5,769 | 6,051 | 4.9% |
| Per 100K | 1.96 | 2.02 | 3.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hui bearers went from 5,769 to 6,051 (+4.9% change). The surname moved up 415 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,966 to #5,551.
FAQ
Hui surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hui?
Name Census estimates that about 6,939 living Americans carry the surname Hui. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 49,395 residents.
How common is Hui?
Hui ranks #5,551 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.02 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 6,051 people with the surname Hui. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (6,939), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.02 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.02 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Hui.
Has Hui become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hui went from 5,769 recorded bearers to 6,051. That is an increase of 282 (+4.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #5,966 to #5,551.
What does the Census say about the background of Hui?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hui, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.1%) and White (2.8%). 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 Hui in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.2% (5,581 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hui appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (92.2%), Two or More Races (3.1%), White (2.8%). 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 Hui (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 Hui mean?
A Chinese surname meaning "intelligent," "wise," or "bright," which originated from the ancient state of Chen. 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 Hui (2.02 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 Americans have the surname Hui?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.