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

Cheu, 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 Cheu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cheu in America

Cheu is the 86645th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cheu surname appeared 215 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 Cheu.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cheu 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 Cheu

The surname CHEU is believed to have originated in China, with its roots tracing back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The name is thought to be derived from the Chinese word "chiu," which means "long-lasting" or "enduring." This suggests that the name may have been given to individuals who were perceived as having a strong and resilient character.

In ancient Chinese records, the earliest known reference to the name CHEU can be found in a manuscript dating back to the 15th century. This document, which detailed the lineage of a prominent family from the Guangdong province, mentions a man named CHEU Xingzhi, who lived during the reign of the Hongxi Emperor (1425-1435).

During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), the name CHEU gained prominence in the southern regions of China, particularly in the provinces of Guangdong and Fujian. Several notable individuals bearing this surname emerged during this period, including CHEU Shunqing (1629-1692), a renowned scholar and poet who served as an official in the imperial court.

As Chinese immigrants began to settle in various parts of the world during the 19th and early 20th centuries, the name CHEU spread to different countries. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name outside of China can be found in the United States, where CHEU Liang (1851-1923), a prominent businessman and community leader, established himself in San Francisco's Chinatown.

Another noteworthy individual bearing the surname CHEU was CHEU Yingxiang (1888-1964), a Chinese revolutionary and politician who played a significant role in the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which ultimately led to the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty and the establishment of the Republic of China.

In more recent times, the name CHEU has been carried by several accomplished individuals, including CHEU Yifan (born 1994), a renowned Chinese chess grandmaster who became the youngest ever to win the prestigious Candidates Tournament in 2018.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cheu

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

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

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

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