2000
#2,561
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,976
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.81
Uncommon Last name
Chong
A Chinese surname meaning "prosperous, flourishing, or lofty," sometimes referring to a specific place name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 17,744 Americans carry the last name Chong. That puts it at #2,297 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 5.18 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 19,317 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Chong 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Chong with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
18K
1 in 19,317
Census rank
#2,297
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
5.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
15K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 15,474 bearers of the surname Chong in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 5.18 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2297th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Chong, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 78.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.3%) and Two or More Races (7.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Chong
The surname Chong has its origins in China, dating back to the early centuries of the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD). It is believed to be derived from the Chinese word "chong," which means "loyal" or "devoted." The name was initially used to describe individuals who demonstrated unwavering loyalty to the emperor or their superiors.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Chong surname can be found in the ancient Chinese text "Book of Han," which chronicles the history of the Han Dynasty. The text mentions several prominent individuals with the surname Chong who held important positions in the imperial court or military.
During the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 AD), the Chong surname gained further prominence. The name is mentioned in various historical records and literary works from this period, often associated with scholars, officials, and influential families. One notable figure was Chong Rong (623 – 710 AD), a highly respected scholar and calligrapher who served as a minister in the imperial court.
As the centuries passed, the Chong surname spread across various regions of China, particularly in the southern provinces. In the Song Dynasty (960 – 1279 AD), the name was prominent in the areas around modern-day Guangdong and Fujian provinces.
During the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644 AD), the Chong surname was associated with several notable individuals. One such figure was Chong Xuan (1497 – 1582 AD), a renowned philosopher and scholar who made significant contributions to the development of Neo-Confucianism.
In the Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1912 AD), the Chong surname continued to be represented among the scholarly and official classes. One notable individual was Chong Zhen (1767 – 1837 AD), a prominent scholar and philosopher who played a crucial role in the development of the Tongcheng School of thought.
As Chinese immigrants began to settle in various parts of the world, the Chong surname spread to other countries. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, individuals with the Chong surname could be found in places like Southeast Asia, North America, and other regions with significant Chinese communities.
Throughout history, the Chong surname has been associated with numerous accomplished individuals in fields such as literature, philosophy, art, and statecraft. Some notable examples include the poet Chong Qing (1766 – 1837 AD), the painter Chong Ren (1693 – 1768 AD), and the statesman Chong Hao (1847 – 1909 AD).
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Chong
Among Census respondents with the surname Chong, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 78.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.3%) and Two or More Races (7.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Chong 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 Chong surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander78.6% · 12,159
- Hispanic or Latino9.3% · 1,438
- Two or more races7.0% · 1,085
- White3.3% · 514
- Black or African American1.7% · 264
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 14
Timeline
Historical Census data for Chong
Chong 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
#2,392
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 15,146
+2,170 bearers (+16.7%)
Per 100,000 5.13
Rank movement Up 169 places
2020
#2,297
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 15,474
+328 bearers (+2.2%)
Per 100,000 5.18
Rank movement Up 95 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,561 | 12,976 | 4.81 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,392 | 15,146 | 5.13 | +2,170 bearers (+16.7%) | Up 169 places |
| 2020 | #2,297 | 15,474 | 5.18 | +328 bearers (+2.2%) | Up 95 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 Chong 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 | #2,392 | #2,297 | 4.0% |
| Count | 15,146 | 15,474 | 2.2% |
| Per 100K | 5.13 | 5.18 | 0.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Chong bearers went from 15,146 to 15,474 (+2.2% change). The surname moved up 95 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,392 to #2,297.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Chong
FAQ
Chong surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Chong?
Name Census estimates that about 17,744 living Americans carry the surname Chong. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 19,317 residents.
How common is Chong?
Chong ranks #2,297 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 5.18 per 100,000 residents, which is about 5 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 15,474 people with the surname Chong. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (17,744), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 5.18 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 5.18 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 5 of them to have the surname Chong.
Has Chong become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Chong went from 15,146 recorded bearers to 15,474. That is an increase of 328 (+2.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #2,392 to #2,297.
What does the Census say about the background of Chong?
Among Census respondents with the surname Chong, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 78.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.3%) and Two or More Races (7.0%). 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 Chong in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.6% (12,159 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Chong appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (78.6%), Hispanic (9.3%), Two or More Races (7.0%). 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 Chong (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 Chong mean?
A Chinese surname meaning "prosperous, flourishing, or lofty," sometimes referring to a specific place name. 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 Chong (5.18 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 people have the last name Chong?
See how many Americans have the surname Chong on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.