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

Chang, 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 Chang surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chang in America

Chang is the 391st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chang surname appeared 81,939 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 28 people would have the surname Chang.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chang 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 Chang

The surname Chang originated in China, with its roots dating back to the ancient Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC). It is derived from the Chinese character "常," which means "constant" or "eternal." The name is believed to have first emerged in the areas around present-day Henan and Shandong provinces.

One of the earliest recorded appearances of the Chang surname can be found in the classic Chinese text, "The Analects of Confucius," compiled around the 5th century BC. This ancient work mentions several individuals with the surname, suggesting its widespread use during that era.

In the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), the Chang surname gained prominence, particularly in the region of Chang'an, the capital city at the time. Several notable figures from this period bore the name, including Chang Jian (ca. 768-824), a renowned poet and calligrapher.

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the Chang surname continued to flourish, with many scholars and officials bearing the name. One of the most famous was Chang Pu (1057-1121), a renowned Confucian philosopher and literary theorist.

In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the Chang surname spread across China, with several prominent figures emerging. One notable example was Chang Hen (1571-1635), a respected scholar and author who served as a high-ranking official in the imperial court.

Another influential figure with the Chang surname was Chang Tsai (1020-1077), a renowned Neo-Confucian philosopher and scholar who lived during the Song Dynasty. His ideas and writings had a profound impact on Chinese thought and influenced generations of scholars.

Chang Heng (78-139 AD), a renowned astronomer, mathematician, and inventor during the Eastern Han Dynasty, was also a notable bearer of the Chang surname. He is credited with inventing the world's first seismometer and made significant contributions to the study of astronomy and calendars.

It is worth noting that the Chang surname has also been associated with various place names throughout Chinese history. For example, the ancient city of Chang'an, which served as the capital during several dynasties, is closely linked to the surname's origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chang

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

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 Chang 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 Chang 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 Chang was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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