2000
#15,293
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,764
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.65
Rare Last name
Byun
A Korean surname derived from the Chinese character 邊, meaning "edge, border, or boundary."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,996 Americans carry the last name Byun. That puts it at #11,519 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.87 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 114,404 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Byun 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
3.0K
1 in 114,404
Census rank
#11,519
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,613 bearers of the surname Byun in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.87 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11519th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Byun, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.6%. The next largest groups are White (2.4%) and Two or More Races (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Byun
The surname "BYUN" is a Korean family name that has its origins in the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392 CE) of the Korean Peninsula. It is derived from the ancient Korean word "byeon," which means "edge" or "border." The name is believed to have originated in the northwestern region of the Korean Peninsula, close to the present-day border with China.
In the early days of the Goryeo Dynasty, many Korean surnames were derived from geographical locations or administrative regions. The "BYUN" surname likely emerged as a reference to families residing in the border regions or on the edges of the kingdom. It is possible that some of the earliest bearers of this name were officials or soldiers responsible for guarding the borders or managing the frontier areas.
The "BYUN" surname first appeared in historical records during the late Goryeo period, although the exact date is uncertain. One of the earliest known references to this name can be found in the "Goryeosa" (History of Goryeo), a comprehensive historical record compiled in the 15th century during the Joseon Dynasty.
During the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897 CE), the "BYUN" surname continued to be prominent, and several notable figures from this family made significant contributions to Korean society. One such individual was Byun Sung-Hwan (1501-1554), a renowned Confucian scholar and politician who served as a minister in the royal court.
Another notable bearer of the "BYUN" surname was Byun Hui-Su (1548-1612), a celebrated writer and poet who played a crucial role in the development of Korean literature during the Renaissance period. His works, including the anthology "Namdang goseungjip," are considered masterpieces of classical Korean literature.
In the late 19th century, Byun Byung-Jik (1858-1935) was a prominent educator and independence activist who fought against Japanese colonial rule in Korea. He established the first modern school in Korea, laying the foundation for the country's modern education system.
During the 20th century, Byun Yeong-Ju (1888-1959) was a renowned painter and calligrapher who played a significant role in preserving and promoting traditional Korean art forms. His works have been widely celebrated and are housed in prestigious museums and collections around the world.
Byun Young-Joo (1921-2003) was a prominent South Korean diplomat and politician who served as the country's Prime Minister from 1979 to 1980. He played a crucial role in shaping South Korea's foreign policy and international relations during a critical period in the nation's history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Byun
Among Census respondents with the surname Byun, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.6%. The next largest groups are White (2.4%) and Two or More Races (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Byun 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 Byun surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander94.6% · 2,472
- White2.4% · 63
- Two or more races2.3% · 61
- Hispanic or Latino0.5% · 14
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 2
- Black or African American0.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Byun
Byun 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
#14,363
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,082
+318 bearers (+18.0%)
Per 100,000 0.71
Rank movement Up 930 places
2020
#11,519
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,613
+531 bearers (+25.5%)
Per 100,000 0.87
Rank movement Up 2,844 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #15,293 | 1,764 | 0.65 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,363 | 2,082 | 0.71 | +318 bearers (+18.0%) | Up 930 places |
| 2020 | #11,519 | 2,613 | 0.87 | +531 bearers (+25.5%) | Up 2,844 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 Byun 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 | #14,363 | #11,519 | 19.8% |
| Count | 2,082 | 2,613 | 25.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.71 | 0.87 | 23.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Byun bearers went from 2,082 to 2,613 (+25.5% change). The surname moved up 2,844 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,363 to #11,519.
FAQ
Byun surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Byun?
Name Census estimates that about 2,996 living Americans carry the surname Byun. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 114,404 residents.
How common is Byun?
Byun ranks #11,519 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.87 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,613 people with the surname Byun. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,996), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.87 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.87 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Byun.
Has Byun become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Byun went from 2,082 recorded bearers to 2,613. That is an increase of 531 (+25.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #14,363 to #11,519.
What does the Census say about the background of Byun?
Among Census respondents with the surname Byun, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.6%. The next largest groups are White (2.4%) and Two or More Races (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 Byun in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.6% (2,472 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Byun appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (94.6%), White (2.4%), Two or More Races (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 Byun (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 Byun mean?
A Korean surname derived from the Chinese character 邊, meaning "edge, border, or boundary." 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 Byun (0.87 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 Americans have the surname Byun?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.