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

Ho, 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 Ho surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ho in America

Ho is the 691st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ho surname appeared 49,817 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 17 people would have the surname Ho.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ho 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 Ho

The surname Ho has its origins in China, dating back to the Zhou Dynasty (1046–256 BC). It is believed to have originated from the ancient Chinese word 'ho', which means 'river' or 'stream'. The name may have been derived from people living near a river or stream, or it could have been an occupational name for someone who worked on or near a river.

During the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD), the Ho surname appeared in various historical records and manuscripts. It was particularly prevalent in the regions of Guangdong and Fujian provinces, where many Ho families resided.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the Ho surname can be found in the Tang Dynasty's 'Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government', a historical text that documented events from 959 to 976 AD. This work mentions several individuals with the Ho surname, including Ho Qingmu, a prominent scholar and official who lived from 915 to 982 AD.

Another notable figure in Chinese history with the Ho surname was Ho Qidan (1090–1153 AD), a celebrated painter and calligrapher during the Song Dynasty. His works were highly regarded and influenced the development of Chinese art.

In the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644 AD), the Ho surname was prominent in various regions, including Guangdong, Fujian, and Zhejiang provinces. One of the most famous individuals from this era was Ho Qingyuan (1545–1617 AD), a renowned scholar and philosopher who made significant contributions to Neo-Confucianism.

During the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912 AD), the Ho surname continued to be widespread, particularly in the southern regions of China. One notable figure from this period was Ho Shen (1799–1873 AD), a prominent scholar and educator who played a significant role in reforming the imperial examination system.

Another influential individual with the Ho surname was Ho Chi Minh (1890–1969 AD), a Vietnamese revolutionary leader who led the struggle for independence from French colonial rule and later became the prime minister of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

While the Ho surname has its roots in China, it has also been adopted by families in various other countries, including Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaysia, where it has been adapted to local languages and spellings.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ho

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

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

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

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