2000
#18,965
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,330
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.49
Rare Last name
Quon
A variant of the surname Quan, derived from a Chinese dialect meaning "spring" or "fountain".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,461 Americans carry the last name Quon. That puts it at #20,975 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.43 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 234,603 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Quon 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
1.5K
1 in 234,603
Census rank
#20,975
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,274 bearers of the surname Quon in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.43 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 20975th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Quon, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 78.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.4%) and White (7.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Quon
The surname QUON has its origins in China, with the earliest records dating back to the 6th century AD. It is believed to be derived from the Cantonese word "quan," which means "spring" or "source." This name was likely given to families who lived near natural springs or bodies of water.
In ancient Chinese texts, such as the "Hou Han Shu" (Book of the Later Han Dynasty), there are mentions of individuals with the surname QUON or similar spellings like "Quan" or "Kuan." These records suggest that the name was prevalent in regions like Guangdong and Fujian provinces during the Tang and Song dynasties.
One of the earliest known individuals with the surname QUON was Quan Deyu, a renowned scholar and poet who lived during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). His works, including the "Quan Shi" (Collection of Quan's Poems), have been preserved and studied by scholars over the centuries.
Another notable figure was Quan Ren (1235-1307 AD), a Confucian philosopher and educator who served as an official in the Yuan Dynasty. His philosophical writings, particularly on the teachings of Mencius, had a significant impact on Neo-Confucianism during that era.
In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), there was a prominent military leader named Quan Zongdu (1565-1624 AD), who played a crucial role in suppressing several rebellions and uprisings in southern China. His exploits were recorded in the "Ming Shi" (History of the Ming Dynasty).
During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD), the QUON surname gained further recognition with the emergence of Quan Tao (1781-1858 AD), a renowned painter and calligrapher. His works, which combined traditional Chinese techniques with Western influences, were highly sought after by collectors and art enthusiasts.
Another notable figure from the Qing Dynasty was Quan Chengxuan (1812-1879 AD), a prominent scholar and poet who gained recognition for his literary works and contributions to the Classical Chinese poetry genre known as "shi."
These are just a few examples of individuals with the surname QUON who have left their mark on Chinese history and culture over the centuries. The name's origins and its association with natural sources of water have given it a unique significance in Chinese society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Quon
Among Census respondents with the surname Quon, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 78.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.4%) and White (7.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Quon 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 Quon surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander78.3% · 997
- Two or more races9.4% · 120
- White7.2% · 92
- Hispanic or Latino4.6% · 59
- Black or African American0.5% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Quon
Quon 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
#20,648
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,282
-48 bearers (-3.6%)
Per 100,000 0.43
Rank movement Down 1,683 places
2020
#20,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,274
-8 bearers (-0.6%)
Per 100,000 0.43
Rank movement Down 327 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #18,965 | 1,330 | 0.49 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #20,648 | 1,282 | 0.43 | -48 bearers (-3.6%) | Down 1,683 places |
| 2020 | #20,975 | 1,274 | 0.43 | -8 bearers (-0.6%) | Down 327 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 Quon 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 | #20,648 | #20,975 | -1.6% |
| Count | 1,282 | 1,274 | -0.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.43 | 0.43 | -0.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Quon bearers went from 1,282 to 1,274 (-0.6% change). The surname moved down 327 positions in the national ranking, going from #20,648 to #20,975.
FAQ
Quon surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Quon?
Name Census estimates that about 1,461 living Americans carry the surname Quon. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 234,603 residents.
How common is Quon?
Quon ranks #20,975 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.43 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 1,274 people with the surname Quon. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,461), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.43 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.43 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 Quon.
Has Quon become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Quon went from 1,282 recorded bearers to 1,274. That is a decrease of 8 (-0.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #20,648 to #20,975.
What does the Census say about the background of Quon?
Among Census respondents with the surname Quon, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 78.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.4%) and White (7.2%). 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 Quon in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.3% (997 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Quon appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (78.3%), Two or More Races (9.4%), White (7.2%). 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 Quon (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 Quon mean?
A variant of the surname Quan, derived from a Chinese dialect meaning "spring" or "fountain". 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 Quon (0.43 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 Quon?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Quon is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.