2000
#19,695
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,266
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.47
Rare Last name
Hao
A Chinese surname meaning "good" or "hero," or referring to someone from the ancient state of Hao.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,538 Americans carry the last name Hao. That puts it at #8,032 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.32 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 75,530 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hao 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.
Bearers in the US
4.5K
1 in 75,530
Census rank
#8,032
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,957 bearers of the surname Hao in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.32 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8032nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hao, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.8%) and White (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hao
The surname HAO is believed to have originated in China, specifically in the Fujian province, during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is derived from the Chinese word "hao," which means "good" or "excellent." The name was likely given to individuals who possessed admirable qualities or achieved remarkable accomplishments.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname HAO can be found in the historical text "The Book of Tang," which documented the lives of prominent figures during the Tang Dynasty. This text mentions a scholar named HAO Jingzhou, who lived during the 8th century AD and was renowned for his literary contributions.
During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the surname HAO gained prominence in the region of Quanzhou, a major port city in Fujian province. Several influential merchants and officials bore this surname, including HAO Guangyuan, a successful trader who established a network of trade routes throughout Southeast Asia.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named HAO Zhengxian played a significant role in the development of Chinese agriculture. He authored a comprehensive treatise on farming techniques, which became a widely referenced work among farmers and scholars alike.
Another prominent individual with the surname HAO was HAO Jingyu (1788-1855), a renowned scholar and calligrapher during the Qing Dynasty. His calligraphic works are highly regarded and have been preserved in various museums and collections.
During the 19th century, HAO Baolin (1828-1901) made a significant contribution to Chinese literature by publishing a collection of poetry that celebrated the beauty of nature and the human experience. His works have been widely studied and appreciated by scholars and literary enthusiasts.
It is worth noting that the surname HAO has also been associated with various place names in China, such as Haozhou and Haoxian, which were ancient administrative divisions. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.
While the surname HAO is primarily associated with Chinese origins, it has also been adopted by individuals of other ethnicities and nationalities, reflecting the cultural diversity and migration patterns throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hao
Among Census respondents with the surname Hao, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.8%) and White (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Hao 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 Hao surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander91.6% · 3,624
- Two or more races3.8% · 152
- White2.9% · 116
- Hispanic or Latino1.4% · 55
- Black or African American0.3% · 10
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hao
Hao 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
#12,622
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,452
+1,186 bearers (+93.7%)
Per 100,000 0.83
Rank movement Up 7,073 places
2020
#8,032
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,957
+1,505 bearers (+61.4%)
Per 100,000 1.32
Rank movement Up 4,590 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #19,695 | 1,266 | 0.47 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,622 | 2,452 | 0.83 | +1,186 bearers (+93.7%) | Up 7,073 places |
| 2020 | #8,032 | 3,957 | 1.32 | +1,505 bearers (+61.4%) | Up 4,590 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 Hao 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 | #12,622 | #8,032 | 36.4% |
| Count | 2,452 | 3,957 | 61.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.83 | 1.32 | 59.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hao bearers went from 2,452 to 3,957 (+61.4% change). The surname moved up 4,590 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,622 to #8,032.
FAQ
Hao surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hao?
Name Census estimates that about 4,538 living Americans carry the surname Hao. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 75,530 residents.
How common is Hao?
Hao ranks #8,032 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.32 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,957 people with the surname Hao. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,538), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.32 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.32 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Hao.
Has Hao become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hao went from 2,452 recorded bearers to 3,957. That is an increase of 1,505 (+61.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #12,622 to #8,032.
What does the Census say about the background of Hao?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hao, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.8%) and White (2.9%). 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 Hao in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.6% (3,624 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hao appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (91.6%), Two or More Races (3.8%), White (2.9%). 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 Hao (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 Hao mean?
A Chinese surname meaning "good" or "hero," or referring to someone from the ancient state of Hao. 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 Hao (1.32 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 Americans have the surname Hao?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.