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

Hui, 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 Hui surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hui in America

Hui is the 5966th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hui surname appeared 5,769 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 Hui.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hui 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 Hui

The surname HUI has its origins in China and can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is believed to have derived from the Old Chinese word "Hui" which meant "prosperity" or "affluence". The name was initially concentrated in the regions of Guangdong and Fujian provinces.

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the name HUI appeared in several official records and documents, indicating its widespread use among the Chinese population. One notable individual bearing this surname was Hui Dong (1001-1059), a renowned scholar and poet who served as a high-ranking official in the imperial court.

In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the HUI surname gained further prominence. Historical records mention a village called "Huizhen" in Guangdong province, which was likely named after a prominent HUI family residing there. One of the earliest recorded examples of the name comes from the famous military strategist and statesman Hui Yingchun (1565-1635), who played a crucial role in the establishment of the Ming Dynasty.

The Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD) saw the spread of the HUI surname across various regions of China. One notable figure from this period was Hui Jiang (1703-1786), a highly respected scholar and calligrapher who authored several influential works on Chinese literature and philosophy.

During the 19th century, the HUI surname gained international recognition with the rise of Hui Neng (638-713), a renowned Chinese Buddhist monk and the Sixth Patriarch of the Chan (Zen) tradition. His teachings and writings had a profound impact on the development of Chan Buddhism and continue to influence Buddhist thought and practice to this day.

In more recent times, the HUI surname has been carried by several prominent individuals, including Hui Ying (1923-2002), a celebrated Chinese actress known for her roles in numerous classic films, and Hui Shiru (1938-2022), a renowned Chinese painter and calligrapher who contributed significantly to the preservation and promotion of traditional Chinese art.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hui

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

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

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

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