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

Chiao, 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 Chiao surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chiao in America

Chiao is the 36204th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chiao surname appeared 619 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 Chiao.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chiao 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 Chiao

The surname Chiao has its origins in China, dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is believed to be derived from the Chinese word 'qiao,' which means 'bridge.' The name was likely given to those who lived near or worked on bridges, or perhaps those who were involved in the construction or maintenance of bridges.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Chiao can be found in the 'Xin Tang Shu,' a historical text compiled during the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD). This text mentions a prominent figure named Chiao Ruoyu, who served as a high-ranking official during the Tang Dynasty.

During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the surname Chiao gained further prominence. One notable figure from this period was Chiao Hung, a renowned scholar and poet who lived from 1541 to 1620. His works are still widely studied and appreciated today.

The Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD) also saw several notable individuals bearing the surname Chiao. One such person was Chiao Pingzhi (1788-1868), a prominent statesman and reformer who advocated for modernization and westernization in China.

Another notable figure was Chiao Xun (1763-1848), a renowned calligrapher and scholar who was highly regarded for his mastery of the Chinese calligraphic arts.

In more recent history, the surname Chiao has been associated with several influential figures. One such individual was Chiao Mu (1895-1977), a renowned philosopher and academic who made significant contributions to the study of Chinese culture and philosophy.

Another notable figure was Chiao Chien-sheng (1908-1983), a celebrated artist and calligrapher who was widely acclaimed for his innovative approach to traditional Chinese art forms.

It is worth noting that the surname Chiao has also been spelled in various ways throughout history, such as Qiao, Kiao, and Khiao, reflecting regional variations and linguistic differences.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chiao

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

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

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

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