2000
#874
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 36,285
First available Census row
Per 100,000 13.45
Uncommon Last name
Yu
A Chinese surname meaning "feather," "wing," "rain," or "universe," depending on the character used.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 75,863 Americans carry the last name Yu. That puts it at #495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 22.13 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 4,518 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Yu 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 Yu with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
76K
1 in 4,518
Census rank
#495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
22.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
66K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 66,156 bearers of the surname Yu in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 22.13 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Yu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.1%. The next largest groups are White (2.0%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Yu
The surname Yu has its origins in China, dating back to ancient times. It is believed to have derived from the Chinese word "yu," which means "jade" or "precious stone." The name was initially used as a descriptive term referring to the rarity and value of the individual or family bearing it.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Yu can be traced back to the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 AD), where it appeared in historical documents and records. During this period, the Yu family was prominent in the region now known as Shandong Province, where they held influential positions in the imperial court and bureaucracy.
In the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), the Yu surname gained further prominence, with several notable figures bearing the name. One such individual was Yu Xin, a renowned poet and calligrapher born in 513 AD. His works were highly celebrated and contributed significantly to the development of Chinese literature and calligraphy.
Another notable figure from this period was Yu Chao-en (605-668 AD), a prominent Buddhist monk and scholar. He was instrumental in the translation and dissemination of Buddhist texts, playing a crucial role in the spread of Buddhism throughout China.
During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the Yu surname continued to hold significance. Yu Qian, born in 1109, was a revered Confucian scholar and philosopher who made significant contributions to the interpretation and understanding of Confucian teachings.
In later dynasties, such as the Ming (1368-1644 AD) and Qing (1644-1912 AD), the Yu surname maintained its prominence, with individuals from the family holding various positions of power and influence in the imperial court and government.
One of the most famous Yu figures in recent history was Yu Youren (1879-1964), a prominent statesman and diplomat who played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Republic of China. He served as the Premier of the Republic of China and was instrumental in the country's diplomatic efforts during a turbulent period.
Throughout its long history, the surname Yu has been associated with various place names and older spellings. For instance, the city of Yuzhou in Henan Province was once known as Yuxian, derived from the Yu surname. Similarly, the town of Yuxian in Shandong Province also bears the name's influence.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Yu
Among Census respondents with the surname Yu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.1%. The next largest groups are White (2.0%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Yu 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 Yu surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander95.1% · 62,934
- White2.0% · 1,344
- Two or more races1.7% · 1,148
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 512
- Black or African American0.3% · 212
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Yu
Yu 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
#658
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 52,035
+15,750 bearers (+43.4%)
Per 100,000 17.64
Rank movement Up 216 places
2020
#495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 66,156
+14,121 bearers (+27.1%)
Per 100,000 22.13
Rank movement Up 163 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #874 | 36,285 | 13.45 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #658 | 52,035 | 17.64 | +15,750 bearers (+43.4%) | Up 216 places |
| 2020 | #495 | 66,156 | 22.13 | +14,121 bearers (+27.1%) | Up 163 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 Yu 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 | #658 | #495 | 24.8% |
| Count | 52,035 | 66,156 | 27.1% |
| Per 100K | 17.64 | 22.13 | 25.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Yu bearers went from 52,035 to 66,156 (+27.1% change). The surname moved up 163 positions in the national ranking, going from #658 to #495.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Yu
FAQ
Yu surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Yu?
Name Census estimates that about 75,863 living Americans carry the surname Yu. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 4,518 residents.
How common is Yu?
Yu ranks #495 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 22.13 per 100,000 residents, which is about 22 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 66,156 people with the surname Yu. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (75,863), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 22.13 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 22.13 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 22 of them to have the surname Yu.
Has Yu become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Yu went from 52,035 recorded bearers to 66,156. That is an increase of 14,121 (+27.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #658 to #495.
What does the Census say about the background of Yu?
Among Census respondents with the surname Yu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.1%. The next largest groups are White (2.0%) and Two or More Races (1.7%). 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 Yu in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.1% (62,934 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Yu appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (95.1%), White (2.0%), Two or More Races (1.7%). 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 Yu (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 Yu mean?
A Chinese surname meaning "feather," "wing," "rain," or "universe," depending on the character used. 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 Yu (22.13 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 share the surname Yu?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.