2000
#1,551
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 21,230
First available Census row
Per 100,000 7.87
Uncommon Last name
Do
A Vietnamese surname derived from the Chinese surname Du, meaning "honest" or "sincere."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 43,640 Americans carry the last name Do. That puts it at #902 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 12.73 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 7,854 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Do 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 Do with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
44K
1 in 7,854
Census rank
#902
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
12.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
38K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 38,056 bearers of the surname Do in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 12.73 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 902nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Do, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.4%. The next largest groups are White (3.6%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Do
The surname Do has its origins in the Portuguese language and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word "de" meaning "from" or "of," indicating a person's place of origin or association with a specific location.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Do can be found in the "Livro Velho de Linhagens" (Old Book of Lineages), a medieval Portuguese manuscript dating back to the 13th century. This document contains records of noble families and mentions several individuals with the surname Do, suggesting its widespread use among the Portuguese nobility at that time.
The name Do was particularly prevalent in the northern regions of Portugal, particularly in the areas around Porto and Braga. It is possible that the name originated from specific place names or localities within these regions, although the precise derivation remains unclear.
In the 15th century, during the Age of Discovery, Portuguese explorers and navigators played a significant role in expanding the reach of the Portuguese Empire. Among these notable figures was Bartolomeu Do, a renowned navigator who accompanied Vasco da Gama on his historic voyage to India in 1497-1499.
Another notable individual with the surname Do was João Do, a 16th-century Portuguese explorer and trader. He is credited with establishing trade routes and settlements in various parts of Asia, including Malacca, Sumatra, and the Moluccas.
In the realm of literature, the surname Do is associated with the 19th-century Portuguese writer and philosopher, António Do. Born in 1835, he was a prominent figure in the Romantic movement and is best known for his philosophical works and poetry.
Moving into the 20th century, the name Do gained recognition in the field of sports. Mário Do, a Portuguese footballer born in 1942, played as a striker for several top clubs in Portugal and represented his national team in the 1966 World Cup.
Another notable figure with the surname Do is the contemporary Portuguese architect, Eduardo Do. Born in 1964, he has gained international acclaim for his innovative and sustainable architectural designs, particularly in the field of urban planning and residential projects.
While the surname Do has its roots in Portugal, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the rich cultural heritage of Portugal.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Do
Among Census respondents with the surname Do, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.4%. The next largest groups are White (3.6%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Do 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 Do surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander91.4% · 34,775
- White3.6% · 1,352
- Two or more races2.0% · 779
- Hispanic or Latino1.6% · 621
- Black or African American1.4% · 519
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 10
Timeline
Historical Census data for Do
Do 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
#1,159
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 30,301
+9,071 bearers (+42.7%)
Per 100,000 10.27
Rank movement Up 392 places
2020
#902
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 38,056
+7,755 bearers (+25.6%)
Per 100,000 12.73
Rank movement Up 257 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #1,551 | 21,230 | 7.87 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #1,159 | 30,301 | 10.27 | +9,071 bearers (+42.7%) | Up 392 places |
| 2020 | #902 | 38,056 | 12.73 | +7,755 bearers (+25.6%) | Up 257 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 Do 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 | #1,159 | #902 | 22.2% |
| Count | 30,301 | 38,056 | 25.6% |
| Per 100K | 10.27 | 12.73 | 24.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Do bearers went from 30,301 to 38,056 (+25.6% change). The surname moved up 257 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,159 to #902.
FAQ
Do surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Do?
Name Census estimates that about 43,640 living Americans carry the surname Do. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 7,854 residents.
How common is Do?
Do ranks #902 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 12.73 per 100,000 residents, which is about 13 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 38,056 people with the surname Do. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (43,640), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 12.73 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 12.73 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 13 of them to have the surname Do.
Has Do become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Do went from 30,301 recorded bearers to 38,056. That is an increase of 7,755 (+25.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #1,159 to #902.
What does the Census say about the background of Do?
Among Census respondents with the surname Do, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.4%. The next largest groups are White (3.6%) and Two or More Races (2.0%). 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 Do in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.4% (34,775 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Do appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (91.4%), White (3.6%), Two or More Races (2.0%). 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 Do (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 Do mean?
A Vietnamese surname derived from the Chinese surname Du, meaning "honest" or "sincere." 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 Do (12.73 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 are called Do?
See how many people have the surname Do on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.