2000
#1,815
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 18,140
First available Census row
Per 100,000 6.72
Uncommon Last name
Leung
A Chinese surname meaning "cool" or "cold," referring to a cool-headed or shrewd person, or a cold place.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 23,681 Americans carry the last name Leung. That puts it at #1,702 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 6.91 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 14,474 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Leung 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 Leung with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
24K
1 in 14,474
Census rank
#1,702
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
6.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
21K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 20,651 bearers of the surname Leung in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 6.91 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1702nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Leung, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.2%) and White (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Leung
The surname LEUNG is believed to have originated in China, with its roots dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is derived from the Chinese characters 梁, which can be translated as "bridge" or "beam." The name's origins can be traced to various regions in southern and eastern China, including Guangdong, Guangxi, and Fujian provinces.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the LEUNG surname can be found in historical documents from the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), where it appeared in local records and genealogical texts. The name was also mentioned in the renowned literary work "The Water Margin," a classic novel from the 14th century that depicted the lives of a group of outlaws during the Song Dynasty.
In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the LEUNG surname gained prominence and was associated with several notable figures. One such individual was LEUNG Wan-zai (1591-1673), a renowned scholar and calligrapher who served as an official in the imperial court. Another notable bearer of the LEUNG name was LEUNG Qing (1632-1718), a celebrated painter and poet known for his landscape paintings and calligraphic works.
During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD), the LEUNG surname continued to be well-represented among scholars, artists, and officials. One prominent figure was LEUNG Fat (1763-1826), a renowned poet and essayist who made significant contributions to the literary world of his time. Additionally, LEUNG Yee-tsi (1719-1796) was a highly respected Confucian scholar and philosopher who played a crucial role in reviving and preserving the teachings of Confucianism during the Qing era.
In more recent history, the LEUNG surname has been associated with several notable individuals. LEUNG Chun-ying (born 1954) is a prominent Hong Kong politician who served as the Chief Executive of Hong Kong from 2012 to 2017. LEUNG Ka-lau (1905-1977) was a renowned Cantonese opera singer and actor who made significant contributions to the preservation and promotion of Cantonese opera.
The LEUNG surname has also been associated with various place names and locations throughout China. For example, the village of Leung Uk Tsuen in Hong Kong's New Territories is believed to have derived its name from the LEUNG family who settled in the area. Similarly, the Leung Shuen Wan Bay in the New Territories is named after the LEUNG clan that once inhabited the region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Leung
Among Census respondents with the surname Leung, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.2%) and White (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Leung 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 Leung surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander92.5% · 19,095
- Two or more races3.2% · 657
- White2.3% · 471
- Hispanic or Latino1.4% · 284
- Black or African American0.7% · 138
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Leung
Leung 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
#1,747
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 20,496
+2,356 bearers (+13.0%)
Per 100,000 6.95
Rank movement Up 68 places
2020
#1,702
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 20,651
+155 bearers (+0.8%)
Per 100,000 6.91
Rank movement Up 45 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #1,815 | 18,140 | 6.72 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #1,747 | 20,496 | 6.95 | +2,356 bearers (+13.0%) | Up 68 places |
| 2020 | #1,702 | 20,651 | 6.91 | +155 bearers (+0.8%) | Up 45 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 Leung 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 | #1,747 | #1,702 | 2.6% |
| Count | 20,496 | 20,651 | 0.8% |
| Per 100K | 6.95 | 6.91 | -0.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Leung bearers went from 20,496 to 20,651 (+0.8% change). The surname moved up 45 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,747 to #1,702.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Leung
FAQ
Leung surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Leung?
Name Census estimates that about 23,681 living Americans carry the surname Leung. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 14,474 residents.
How common is Leung?
Leung ranks #1,702 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 6.91 per 100,000 residents, which is about 7 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 20,651 people with the surname Leung. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (23,681), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 6.91 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 6.91 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 7 of them to have the surname Leung.
Has Leung become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Leung went from 20,496 recorded bearers to 20,651. That is an increase of 155 (+0.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #1,747 to #1,702.
What does the Census say about the background of Leung?
Among Census respondents with the surname Leung, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.2%) and White (2.3%). 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 Leung in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.5% (19,095 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Leung appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (92.5%), Two or More Races (3.2%), White (2.3%). 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 Leung (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 Leung mean?
A Chinese surname meaning "cool" or "cold," referring to a cool-headed or shrewd person, or a cold place. 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 Leung (6.91 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 have the last name Leung?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Leung on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.