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

Han, 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 Han surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Han in America

Han is the 1182nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Han surname appeared 29,847 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 10 people would have the surname Han.

We can also compare 2010 data for Han 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 Han

The surname Han originates from China and has a long and rich history dating back to ancient times. It is believed to have derived from the Han Dynasty, which ruled China from 206 BC to 220 AD. The name Han was initially associated with the Han ethnic group, one of the largest ethnic groups in China.

During the Han Dynasty, the Han surname was widely used by the ruling class and nobility. It was also adopted by commoners who sought to associate themselves with the imperial family or the dominant Han culture. The name spread across various regions of China, including the central plains, the Yangtze River Basin, and the coastal areas.

In ancient Chinese records and manuscripts, the Han surname appears frequently. One notable example is the "Book of Han," a historical text that chronicles the events and figures of the Han Dynasty. This work provides valuable insights into the significance and prominence of the Han surname during that era.

The earliest recorded instance of the Han surname can be traced back to the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - 9 AD). One of the most famous individuals with the Han surname was Han Xin (231 BC - 196 BC), a renowned military strategist who played a crucial role in the founding of the Han Dynasty.

Throughout history, the Han surname has been associated with numerous influential figures. Han Yu (768 AD - 824 AD) was a prominent writer, philosopher, and poet during the Tang Dynasty, renowned for his literary works and contributions to Neo-Confucianism. Han Fei (c. 280 BC - 233 BC), a Chinese philosopher and prince, is credited with developing the teachings of Legalism, a significant philosophical school of thought in ancient China.

Another notable figure was Han Gan (706 AD - 783 AD), a renowned painter and calligrapher during the Tang Dynasty, whose works are highly regarded in Chinese art history. Han Wendi (179 BC - 157 BC), also known as Emperor Gaozu, was the founder and first emperor of the Han Dynasty, establishing a dynasty that would rule for over four centuries.

The Han surname has also been linked to various place names and geographic locations within China. For example, the city of Handan in Hebei Province derives its name from the Han Dynasty, as it was an important strategic location during that period. Additionally, the Han River, a major tributary of the Yangtze River, is believed to have been named after the Han ethnic group.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Han

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

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

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

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