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

Ding, 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 Ding surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ding in America

Ding is the 6784th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ding surname appeared 4,973 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Ding.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ding 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 Ding

The surname "DING" originated in China, with roots dating back to ancient times. It is believed to have derived from the Chinese word "ding," which means "summit" or "top of a mountain." The earliest known records of this surname can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE) in the regions of Shandong and Henan provinces.

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE), the name "DING" appeared in several historical texts and records. One notable mention is in the "Song Huiyao," a compilation of administrative documents from the Song era, where a scholar named Ding Weijing (1015-1079 CE) is referenced.

In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 CE), the "DING" surname gained prominence through several notable figures. Ding Henian (1457-1510 CE), a renowned writer and calligrapher, was highly respected during his time. Another notable bearer of this surname was Ding Richang (1516-1599 CE), a renowned military strategist and author of the influential work "Ding Shi Quan Shu" (The Complete Works of Ding Richang).

During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 CE), the "DING" surname was well-represented in various fields. Ding Baozhen (1820-1886 CE) was a prominent scholar and philosopher, while Ding Gongchen (1872-1948 CE) was a respected educator and reformist who played a significant role in the modernization of China's education system.

In more recent history, Ding Ling (1904-1986 CE) was a renowned writer and playwright who became a prominent figure in the May Fourth Movement, a socio-cultural revolution that shaped modern Chinese literature and thought.

While the "DING" surname has its origins in China, it has since spread to other parts of the world through immigration and cultural exchange. However, the historical records and notable figures mentioned above provide a glimpse into the rich history and evolution of this surname within the Chinese cultural context.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ding

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

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

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

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