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

Goh, 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 Goh surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Goh in America

Goh is the 18208th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Goh surname appeared 1,528 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Goh.

We can also compare 2010 data for Goh 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 Goh

The surname Goh is believed to have originated in China, specifically in the Guangdong province. It is a Cantonese surname that can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). The name is derived from the Chinese word "wu," which means "martial" or "military." It is thought that the surname was initially given to those who served in the military or were skilled in martial arts.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Goh surname can be found in the Sung Dynasty (960-1279 AD) historical records. During this period, there was a prominent military commander named Goh Shun-Ming who led troops in several battles against invading forces. His bravery and leadership earned him recognition, and his descendants adopted the surname Goh as a tribute to his achievements.

In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the Goh surname gained further prominence with the rise of Goh Kai, a renowned scholar and philosopher. Goh Kai's writings on Confucian principles and ethics were highly influential at the time, and he is considered one of the most important thinkers of the Ming era.

Another notable figure with the Goh surname was Goh Jiang (1573-1619), a famous poet and playwright during the late Ming Dynasty. His works, which often explored themes of love and nature, are still widely studied and appreciated today.

During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD), the Goh surname spread to other regions of China, including Fujian and Taiwan. One prominent individual from this period was Goh Kun (1766-1828), a successful merchant and philanthropist who established several schools and hospitals in his hometown.

In more recent history, Goh Chok Tong (born 1941) served as the second Prime Minister of Singapore from 1990 to 2004. He played a pivotal role in transforming Singapore into a modern and prosperous nation during his tenure.

These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals who have carried the Goh surname throughout history. While the name may have originated in China, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including Southeast Asia, where it remains a prominent surname today.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Goh

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

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

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

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