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

Chu, 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 Chu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chu in America

Chu is the 1238th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chu surname appeared 28,508 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 10 people would have the surname Chu.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chu 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 Chu

The surname Chu originated in China and can be traced back to the Zhou Dynasty (1046–256 BC). It is derived from the Chinese word "chu," which means "dwellings" or "place of residence." The name was initially associated with people who lived in a specific area or village.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Chu can be found in the Shiji, a historical record compiled by Sima Qian in the 1st century BC. The book mentions several individuals with the surname Chu, including Chu Sheng, a prominent minister during the reign of King Zhao of Qin (313–310 BC).

During the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD), the surname Chu gained further prominence. One notable figure from this period was Chu Suiliang (596–658 AD), a renowned calligrapher and scholar. His works are still studied and celebrated in the field of Chinese calligraphy.

In the Song Dynasty (960–1279 AD), the Chu family played a significant role in the literary and political circles. Chu Hsi (1130–1200 AD), a renowned philosopher and scholar, was one of the most influential figures of Neo-Confucianism. His teachings and interpretations of Confucian texts had a lasting impact on Chinese culture and education.

The surname Chu can also be found in ancient place names and geographic locations in China. For instance, the city of Chuzhou in Anhui Province, China, derives its name from the Chu surname, suggesting a historical connection between the name and the region.

Throughout history, several other notable individuals have borne the surname Chu. These include Chu Shijie (1599–1682 AD), a Ming Dynasty scholar and poet; Chu Yuanzhang (1328–1398 AD), the founder of the Ming Dynasty; and Chu Hsi (1130–1200 AD), mentioned earlier, who was a prominent philosopher and educator.

While the surname Chu has its roots in ancient China, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including Southeast Asia, North America, and Europe, carried by Chinese diaspora communities over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chu

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

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

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

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