2000
#9,716
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,068
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.14
Rare Last name
Go
A Chinese surname derived from the name of an ancient state or referring to the Wu region of China.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,689 Americans carry the last name Go. That puts it at #6,558 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.66 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 60,249 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Go 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 Go with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.7K
1 in 60,249
Census rank
#6,558
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,961 bearers of the surname Go in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.66 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6558th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Go, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 86.3%. The next largest groups are White (5.4%) and Two or More Races (4.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Go
The surname "Go" is believed to have originated in Japan, where it is a common family name. The name dates back several centuries and is thought to be derived from the Japanese word "go," meaning "language" or "word."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "Go" can be found in the Kamakura period (1185-1333 CE), when it was used by Japanese samurai and nobility. During this time, the name appeared in various historical records and documents, often associated with prominent families and clans.
In the Edo period (1603-1868 CE), the name "Go" gained further recognition, particularly in the Kyoto region, where it was closely tied to the imperial court and aristocracy. Several notable figures from this era bore the surname, including Go Toba (1180-1239), a former Emperor of Japan, and Go Daigo (1288-1339), another former Emperor known for his role in the Kemmu Restoration.
As Japanese society evolved, the "Go" surname spread to various parts of the country, with different branches of the family establishing themselves in different regions. One significant figure from this period was Go Sanjo (1611-1688), a renowned poet and calligrapher who served as a courtier during the early Edo period.
In the Meiji era (1868-1912), the "Go" surname continued to be prominent, with individuals such as Go Kogaku (1765-1837), a renowned scholar and educator, and Go Shunjo (1828-1909), a skilled painter and calligrapher, making significant contributions to Japanese culture and academia.
It is important to note that the surname "Go" is distinct from its use as a title or prefix in Japanese imperial and aristocratic naming conventions. In these cases, the word "Go" was often added before a personal name or regnal name to indicate a specific era or reign.
While the surname "Go" is most commonly associated with Japan, it is also found in other parts of Asia, such as China and Korea, where it may have different origins and meanings. However, the Japanese roots of the name remain the most well-documented and widely recognized.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Go
Among Census respondents with the surname Go, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 86.3%. The next largest groups are White (5.4%) and Two or More Races (4.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Go 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 Go surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander86.3% · 4,279
- White5.4% · 267
- Two or more races4.1% · 202
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 164
- Black or African American0.8% · 41
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Go
Go 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
#7,607
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,370
+1,302 bearers (+42.4%)
Per 100,000 1.48
Rank movement Up 2,109 places
2020
#6,558
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,961
+591 bearers (+13.5%)
Per 100,000 1.66
Rank movement Up 1,049 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,716 | 3,068 | 1.14 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,607 | 4,370 | 1.48 | +1,302 bearers (+42.4%) | Up 2,109 places |
| 2020 | #6,558 | 4,961 | 1.66 | +591 bearers (+13.5%) | Up 1,049 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 Go 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 | #7,607 | #6,558 | 13.8% |
| Count | 4,370 | 4,961 | 13.5% |
| Per 100K | 1.48 | 1.66 | 12.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Go bearers went from 4,370 to 4,961 (+13.5% change). The surname moved up 1,049 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,607 to #6,558.
FAQ
Go surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Go?
Name Census estimates that about 5,689 living Americans carry the surname Go. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 60,249 residents.
How common is Go?
Go ranks #6,558 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.66 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,961 people with the surname Go. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,689), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.66 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.66 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Go.
Has Go become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Go went from 4,370 recorded bearers to 4,961. That is an increase of 591 (+13.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #7,607 to #6,558.
What does the Census say about the background of Go?
Among Census respondents with the surname Go, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 86.3%. The next largest groups are White (5.4%) and Two or More Races (4.1%). 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 Go in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.3% (4,279 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Go appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (86.3%), White (5.4%), Two or More Races (4.1%). 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 Go (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 Go mean?
A Chinese surname derived from the name of an ancient state or referring to the Wu region of China. 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 Go (1.66 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 share the surname Go?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.