2000
#7,444
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,123
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.53
Uncommon Last name
Deng
A Chinese surname meaning "rising sun" or "sunshine," originating from the state of Deng during the Zhou Dynasty.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 15,978 Americans carry the last name Deng. That puts it at #2,521 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.66 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 21,452 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Deng 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 Deng with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
16K
1 in 21,452
Census rank
#2,521
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
14K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 13,934 bearers of the surname Deng in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.66 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2521st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Deng, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 87.0%. The next largest groups are Black (9.3%) and White (2.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Deng
The surname DENG is of Chinese origin, with roots dating back to ancient times. It is believed to have originated from the Deng County in the Henan Province of China, which has a recorded history spanning over 2,500 years.
One of the earliest known references to the DENG surname can be found in the Shiji (Records of the Grand Historian), a monumental historical work completed around 94 BC by Sima Qian. This ancient text mentions individuals with the DENG surname, suggesting its existence during the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD).
In the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), the DENG surname gained prominence, with several notable figures bearing this name. One such individual was Deng Ai (606-662 AD), a renowned statesman and military leader who played a crucial role in the Tang expansion and consolidation of power.
During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the DENG surname continued to be well-represented. Deng Mu (1247-1306 AD), a famous poet and calligrapher, is considered one of the most influential figures of the era, renowned for his mastery of the cursive script.
The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) also had its share of notable DENG individuals. Deng Huanzhong (1504-1577 AD) was a prominent military strategist and general who played a pivotal role in suppressing various rebellions and securing the dynasty's rule.
In more recent history, Deng Xiaoping (1904-1997 AD) stands out as one of the most influential figures with the DENG surname. He was a prominent Chinese revolutionary and statesman who led the country through a period of significant economic reforms and opening up to the global market.
Other notable individuals with the DENG surname include Deng Tuo (fl. 1st century BC), a renowned Han Dynasty scholar and philosopher, Deng Zhuang (1537-1625 AD), a celebrated Ming Dynasty painter, and Deng Yuancheng (1898-1958 AD), a prominent Chinese writer and poet of the 20th century.
The DENG surname has evolved over time, with various spelling variations and place names associated with it. Some of the older spellings include Teng and Ting, while place names like Dengzhou and Dengxian are closely tied to the surname's origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Deng
Among Census respondents with the surname Deng, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 87.0%. The next largest groups are Black (9.3%) and White (2.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Deng 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 Deng surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander87.0% · 12,123
- Black or African American9.3% · 1,300
- White2.2% · 303
- Two or more races1.0% · 137
- Hispanic or Latino0.5% · 65
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Deng
Deng 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
#3,993
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,898
+4,775 bearers (+115.8%)
Per 100,000 3.02
Rank movement Up 3,451 places
2020
#2,521
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,934
+5,036 bearers (+56.6%)
Per 100,000 4.66
Rank movement Up 1,472 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,444 | 4,123 | 1.53 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,993 | 8,898 | 3.02 | +4,775 bearers (+115.8%) | Up 3,451 places |
| 2020 | #2,521 | 13,934 | 4.66 | +5,036 bearers (+56.6%) | Up 1,472 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 Deng 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 | #3,993 | #2,521 | 36.9% |
| Count | 8,898 | 13,934 | 56.6% |
| Per 100K | 3.02 | 4.66 | 54.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Deng bearers went from 8,898 to 13,934 (+56.6% change). The surname moved up 1,472 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,993 to #2,521.
FAQ
Deng surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Deng?
Name Census estimates that about 15,978 living Americans carry the surname Deng. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 21,452 residents.
How common is Deng?
Deng ranks #2,521 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.66 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 13,934 people with the surname Deng. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (15,978), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.66 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.66 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 Deng.
Has Deng become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Deng went from 8,898 recorded bearers to 13,934. That is an increase of 5,036 (+56.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #3,993 to #2,521.
What does the Census say about the background of Deng?
Among Census respondents with the surname Deng, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 87.0%. The next largest groups are Black (9.3%) and White (2.2%). 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 Deng in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.0% (12,123 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Deng appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (87.0%), Black (9.3%), White (2.2%). 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 Deng (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 Deng mean?
A Chinese surname meaning "rising sun" or "sunshine," originating from the state of Deng during the Zhou Dynasty. 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 Deng (4.66 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 surname Deng?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.