2000
#10,444
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,826
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.05
Rare Last name
Jeong
A Korean surname derived from the Chinese character meaning "virtuous, chaste, or upright."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 7,925 Americans carry the last name Jeong. That puts it at #4,941 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.31 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 43,250 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Jeong 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
7.9K
1 in 43,250
Census rank
#4,941
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,911 bearers of the surname Jeong in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.31 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4941st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Jeong, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.1%. The next largest groups are White (2.4%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Jeong
The surname Jeong has its origins in Korea, dating back to the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392 AD). It is derived from the Korean word "jung," which means "middle" or "center." The name is believed to have been given to individuals who lived in the central regions of Korea or held positions in the central government.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Jeong surname can be found in the Goryeosa, a historical record of the Goryeo Dynasty. It references several prominent figures with the surname, including Jeong Inji (1396-1478), a renowned Confucian scholar and politician during the early Joseon Dynasty.
During the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897), the Jeong clan rose to prominence, producing numerous scholars, officials, and military leaders. One notable figure was Jeong Dojeon (1342-1398), a highly respected Neo-Confucian scholar and prime minister during the reign of King Gongyang.
Another significant historical figure with the Jeong surname was Jeong Yak-yong (1762-1836), a prominent scholar, philosopher, and reformer of the late Joseon period. He was renowned for his contributions to the Silhak (Practical Learning) movement, which sought to promote practical knowledge and reforms in various fields.
In the 20th century, Jeong Il-hyeong (1904-1986) was a prominent Korean independence activist and politician who played a crucial role in the country's struggle for independence from Japanese colonial rule.
Jeong Yu-jeong (1974-present) is a contemporary Korean novelist and screenwriter, best known for her acclaimed novels "Seven Years of Night" and "If You Leave Me," which have been translated into multiple languages.
Throughout its history, the Jeong surname has been associated with various regions in Korea, including the provinces of Gyeonggi, Chungcheong, and Jeolla. It has also undergone various spelling variations, such as Jung, Chung, and Chong, reflecting regional dialects and romanization systems.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Jeong
Among Census respondents with the surname Jeong, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.1%. The next largest groups are White (2.4%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Jeong 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 Jeong surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander95.1% · 6,574
- White2.4% · 165
- Two or more races1.2% · 82
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 58
- Black or African American0.5% · 32
Timeline
Historical Census data for Jeong
Jeong 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
#6,315
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,404
+2,578 bearers (+91.2%)
Per 100,000 1.83
Rank movement Up 4,129 places
2020
#4,941
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,911
+1,507 bearers (+27.9%)
Per 100,000 2.31
Rank movement Up 1,374 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,444 | 2,826 | 1.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,315 | 5,404 | 1.83 | +2,578 bearers (+91.2%) | Up 4,129 places |
| 2020 | #4,941 | 6,911 | 2.31 | +1,507 bearers (+27.9%) | Up 1,374 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 Jeong 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 | #6,315 | #4,941 | 21.8% |
| Count | 5,404 | 6,911 | 27.9% |
| Per 100K | 1.83 | 2.31 | 26.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Jeong bearers went from 5,404 to 6,911 (+27.9% change). The surname moved up 1,374 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,315 to #4,941.
FAQ
Jeong surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Jeong?
Name Census estimates that about 7,925 living Americans carry the surname Jeong. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 43,250 residents.
How common is Jeong?
Jeong ranks #4,941 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.31 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 6,911 people with the surname Jeong. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (7,925), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.31 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.31 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Jeong.
Has Jeong become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Jeong went from 5,404 recorded bearers to 6,911. That is an increase of 1,507 (+27.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #6,315 to #4,941.
What does the Census say about the background of Jeong?
Among Census respondents with the surname Jeong, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.1%. The next largest groups are White (2.4%) and Two or More Races (1.2%). 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 Jeong in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.1% (6,574 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Jeong appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (95.1%), White (2.4%), Two or More Races (1.2%). 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 Jeong (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 Jeong mean?
A Korean surname derived from the Chinese character meaning "virtuous, chaste, or upright." 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 Jeong (2.31 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 people have the last name Jeong?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Jeong on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.