Find out how popular the last name Afong is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Afong.

Afong, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Afong surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Afong in America

Afong is the 111426th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Afong surname appeared 158 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Afong.

We can also compare 2010 data for Afong to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Afong

The surname AFONG has its origins in China, specifically in the Guangdong province. It is believed to have emerged during the Ming Dynasty, which spanned from 1368 to 1644. The name is derived from the Cantonese pronunciation of the Chinese characters 阿 (a) and 芳 (fong), which together translate to "fragrant" or "aromatic".

One of the earliest documented references to the AFONG name can be found in a genealogical record from the city of Taishan, a coastal region in Guangdong. This record, dated back to the 16th century, mentions a family with the surname AFONG residing in the area.

In the late 19th century, during the period of Chinese immigration to various parts of the world, the AFONG surname began to appear in historical records outside of China. For instance, in 1880, a man named Wong Afong was documented as one of the earliest Chinese immigrants to arrive in San Francisco, California.

Another notable individual with the AFONG surname was Leong Afong, a Chinese entrepreneur who lived in Hawaii during the late 19th century. Born in 1828 in Guangdong, Leong Afong became a successful businessman and played a significant role in the development of the sugar industry in Hawaii.

In the early 20th century, the AFONG name gained prominence in the Philippines. One of the most well-known figures was Alejandro Afong, a Chinese-Filipino businessman and philanthropist born in 1886. He was instrumental in establishing several educational institutions and charitable organizations in the country.

Another noteworthy individual was Ng Afong, a Chinese immigrant who settled in New Zealand in the late 19th century. Born in 1833 in Guangdong, Ng Afong became a successful merchant and was involved in the establishment of one of the earliest Chinese communities in the country.

While the AFONG surname has its roots in China, it has since spread across various parts of the world, particularly in regions with significant Chinese immigrant populations. Its meaning, "fragrant" or "aromatic," reflects the cultural and linguistic heritage of its Chinese origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Afong

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Afong.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Afong was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Afong has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Afong was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Afong, please contact us.

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