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

Dou, 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 Dou surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dou in America

Dou is the 43206th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dou surname appeared 500 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Dou.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dou 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 Dou

The surname DOU originates from China and has a long and storied history dating back to ancient times. This name is believed to be derived from the Chinese word "dou," which means "a bushel" or a unit of measurement for grains and crops. It is thought that the name may have initially been given to families or individuals who worked in agriculture or were involved in the production or distribution of grains.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name DOU can be found in the historical text "Zuo Zhuan," which dates back to the 4th century BC. This text mentions a person named Dou Ji, who was a prominent figure during the Spring and Autumn period of ancient China.

The name DOU gained further prominence during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), when several influential individuals bore this surname. One notable example is Dou Xuan (647-708 AD), a renowned poet and calligrapher who served as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Zhongzong.

Another significant figure was Dou Yi (613-696 AD), a high-ranking military commander who played a crucial role in suppressing the Xuanwu Rebellion and solidifying the Tang Dynasty's control over the northern regions of China.

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the DOU surname continued to be associated with influential families and individuals. One notable example is Dou Rong (1036-1106 AD), a prominent scholar and philosopher who made significant contributions to the development of Neo-Confucianism.

In more recent history, the DOU surname has been carried by several notable figures, including Dou Wentao (1829-1903), a prominent translator and diplomat who played a crucial role in modernizing China's foreign relations during the late Qing Dynasty.

It is worth noting that while the DOU surname has its roots in China, it has also spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, the historical records and references provided here focus primarily on the name's origins and significance within the Chinese context.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dou

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

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

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

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