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

Gu, 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 Gu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gu in America

Gu is the 6183rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gu surname appeared 5,532 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 Gu.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gu 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 Gu

The surname "Gu" is of Chinese origin, tracing its roots back to the ancient Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC - 256 BC). It is believed to have originated from the state of Gu, located in present-day Henan province. The name is derived from the Chinese character "穀", which means "grain" or "crops", reflecting the agricultural heritage of the region.

During the Tang Dynasty (618 AD - 907 AD), the name "Gu" appeared in various historical records and manuscripts, indicating its widespread use among noble families and scholars. One notable figure was Gu Kuang, a renowned poet and calligrapher who lived from 725 AD to 816 AD.

In the Song Dynasty (960 AD - 1279 AD), the "Gu" surname gained further prominence. The famous scholar and statesman Gu Yanwu (1613 AD - 1682 AD) made significant contributions to the study of Chinese history and philosophy. His works, such as the "Ri Zhi Lu" (日知錄), have been widely studied and influential.

The Ming Dynasty (1368 AD - 1644 AD) saw the rise of several notable figures bearing the "Gu" surname. Gu Tingxiu (1592 AD - 1656 AD) was a renowned painter and calligrapher, known for his innovative techniques and mastery of the "xieyi" (寫意) style. Gu Xiancheng (1550 AD - 1612 AD) was a prominent scholar and philosopher who made notable contributions to the Neo-Confucian movement.

During the Qing Dynasty (1644 AD - 1912 AD), the "Gu" surname continued to be prominent. Gu Zhun (1718 AD - 1794 AD) was a renowned scholar and official who served as a high-ranking member of the Hanlin Academy, the imperial academy of scholars. Gu Zhengxie (1646 AD - 1711 AD) was a celebrated playwright and poet, known for his contributions to the development of the "kunqu" (崑曲) opera form.

The surname "Gu" has a rich historical legacy, with many notable figures contributing to various fields, including literature, philosophy, art, and statesmanship. Its origins can be traced back to the ancient Zhou Dynasty, reflecting the agricultural roots of the region where it first emerged.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gu

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

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

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

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