2000
#23,530
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,006
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.37
Rare Last name
Pho
A Vietnamese surname derived from the word for rice noodle soup.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,702 Americans carry the last name Pho. That puts it at #18,440 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.50 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 201,383 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pho 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.
Bearers in the US
1.7K
1 in 201,383
Census rank
#18,440
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,484 bearers of the surname Pho in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.50 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 18440th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pho, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.1%) and White (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pho
The surname "PHO" is believed to have originated in Vietnam, with its roots dating back to the 18th century or earlier. It is thought to be derived from the Vietnamese word "pho," which means "noodle soup" or "rice noodles." This connection suggests that the name may have been associated with a family or individual involved in the preparation or selling of this iconic Vietnamese dish.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "PHO" can be found in the historical records of the Nguyen Dynasty, which ruled Vietnam from 1802 to 1945. These records mention a prominent merchant family with the surname "PHO" who were known for their successful noodle soup business in the capital city of Hue.
In the late 19th century, a notable figure named Pho Quang Tri (1845-1912) gained recognition as a revered scholar and philosopher. His writings and teachings greatly influenced the intellectual and cultural landscape of Vietnam during that era.
During the French colonial period in Vietnam, which lasted from the late 19th century until the mid-20th century, the name "PHO" appeared in various administrative records and documents. This suggests that individuals bearing this surname played a role in the social and economic fabric of the country under French rule.
Another prominent individual with the surname "PHO" was Pho Duc Chinh (1918-1976), a celebrated Vietnamese artist renowned for his intricate lacquer paintings and contributions to the development of modern Vietnamese art.
In the 20th century, Pho Binh Anh (1923-2006) made a significant impact as a writer and journalist. He wrote numerous novels, short stories, and articles that explored the complexities of Vietnamese society and culture during the turbulent times of war and political upheaval.
It is important to note that while the surname "PHO" has deep roots in Vietnam, it has also been adopted by individuals of Vietnamese descent living in other parts of the world, particularly in regions with significant Vietnamese diaspora communities.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pho
Among Census respondents with the surname Pho, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.1%) and White (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Pho 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 Pho surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander91.1% · 1,352
- Two or more races4.1% · 61
- White2.5% · 37
- Hispanic or Latino2.1% · 31
- Black or African American0.2% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pho
Pho 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
#20,057
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,333
+327 bearers (+32.5%)
Per 100,000 0.45
Rank movement Up 3,473 places
2020
#18,440
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,484
+151 bearers (+11.3%)
Per 100,000 0.50
Rank movement Up 1,617 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #23,530 | 1,006 | 0.37 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #20,057 | 1,333 | 0.45 | +327 bearers (+32.5%) | Up 3,473 places |
| 2020 | #18,440 | 1,484 | 0.50 | +151 bearers (+11.3%) | Up 1,617 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 Pho 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 | #20,057 | #18,440 | 8.1% |
| Count | 1,333 | 1,484 | 11.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.45 | 0.50 | 10.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pho bearers went from 1,333 to 1,484 (+11.3% change). The surname moved up 1,617 positions in the national ranking, going from #20,057 to #18,440.
FAQ
Pho surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pho?
Name Census estimates that about 1,702 living Americans carry the surname Pho. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 201,383 residents.
How common is Pho?
Pho ranks #18,440 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.50 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,484 people with the surname Pho. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,702), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.5 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.50 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Pho.
Has Pho become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pho went from 1,333 recorded bearers to 1,484. That is an increase of 151 (+11.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #20,057 to #18,440.
What does the Census say about the background of Pho?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pho, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.1%) and White (2.5%). 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 Pho in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.1% (1,352 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pho appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (91.1%), Two or More Races (4.1%), White (2.5%). 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 Pho (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 Pho mean?
A Vietnamese surname derived from the word for rice noodle soup. 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 Pho (0.50 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 Pho?
You can see how many Americans have the surname Pho on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.