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

China, 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 China surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of China in America

China is the 29138th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The China surname appeared 813 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 China.

We can also compare 2010 data for China 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 China

The surname CHINA originated in England in the 12th century. It derived from the Old English word "cyn," meaning kin or family. The name was initially a descriptive term used to refer to someone who had come from abroad or had a foreign appearance.

In the early days, the surname CHINA was often spelled differently, such as Chyna, Chine, or Chyne. These variations reflected the regional dialects and pronunciations of the time. The name appeared in various historical records, including the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire in 1273, where it was recorded as "Chyne."

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname CHINA was Robert Chyna, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296. Another notable figure was John Chine, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1301.

The CHINA surname also had connections to specific places. For instance, in the 14th century, there was a reference to a family named "de Chyne" living in the village of Chyne, located in Somerset, England. This suggests that the name may have been associated with a particular location or estate.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the CHINA surname. One such person was Sir William China (1564-1629), an English merchant and Member of Parliament for the City of London. Another was John China (1698-1768), a renowned English clockmaker and inventor.

In the realm of literature, the name CHINA appeared in works such as "The Faerie Queene" by Edmund Spenser (1552-1599), where the character Phaedria is referred to as "the faire China."

Other prominent individuals with the CHINA surname include Sir Cedric China (1854-1932), a British diplomat and colonial administrator; and Reginald China (1876-1941), an English cricketer who played for Middlesex County Cricket Club.

The CHINA surname has a rich history spanning centuries, with its roots firmly planted in England's past. Its evolution and variations reflect the cultural and linguistic diversity of the regions it has been associated with over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name China

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

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

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

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