2000
#5,963
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,316
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.97
Rare Last name
Kao
A Chinese surname meaning "high" or "tall," or referring to a place name in ancient China.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 7,180 Americans carry the last name Kao. That puts it at #5,379 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.09 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 47,737 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kao 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
7.2K
1 in 47,737
Census rank
#5,379
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,261 bearers of the surname Kao in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.09 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5379th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kao, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and White (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kao
The surname Kao originated from China, with its roots tracing back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). The name is derived from the Chinese word "gao," which means "high" or "lofty," referring to a person's noble character or elevated social status.
During the Tang Dynasty, the Kao family was prominent in the region of present-day Henan Province. Historical records show that several members of the Kao clan held influential positions in the imperial court and were recognized for their scholarly achievements.
One of the earliest documented references to the Kao surname can be found in the "Xin Tang Shu" (New Book of Tang), a historical text compiled in the 11th century. This work records the exploits of Kao Liang, a celebrated general and statesman who lived during the 9th century.
In the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the Kao family continued to gain prominence. Kao Qiu, a renowned scholar and poet, was born in 1008 AD and is remembered for his contributions to Chinese literature.
The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) saw the rise of Kao Xing, a prominent military strategist and author who served under several emperors. His works on military tactics and strategy were widely studied and influential.
During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD), the Kao surname spread to other regions of China. One notable figure was Kao Gong, a prestigious scholar and calligrapher born in 1649 AD, whose works are still revered today.
Another significant figure bearing the Kao surname was Kao Xian, a revolutionary leader and statesman who played a crucial role in the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which led to the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty and the establishment of the Republic of China.
Throughout its long history, the Kao surname has been associated with scholars, military leaders, and influential figures in Chinese society. While the name originated in central China, it has since spread to various regions and is now found in Chinese communities around the world.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kao
Among Census respondents with the surname Kao, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and White (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Kao 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 Kao surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander91.8% · 5,749
- Two or more races3.6% · 226
- White2.8% · 178
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 58
- Black or African American0.8% · 48
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kao
Kao 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
#5,758
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,018
+702 bearers (+13.2%)
Per 100,000 2.04
Rank movement Up 205 places
2020
#5,379
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,261
+243 bearers (+4.0%)
Per 100,000 2.09
Rank movement Up 379 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,963 | 5,316 | 1.97 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,758 | 6,018 | 2.04 | +702 bearers (+13.2%) | Up 205 places |
| 2020 | #5,379 | 6,261 | 2.09 | +243 bearers (+4.0%) | Up 379 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 Kao 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 | #5,758 | #5,379 | 6.6% |
| Count | 6,018 | 6,261 | 4.0% |
| Per 100K | 2.04 | 2.09 | 2.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kao bearers went from 6,018 to 6,261 (+4.0% change). The surname moved up 379 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,758 to #5,379.
FAQ
Kao surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kao?
Name Census estimates that about 7,180 living Americans carry the surname Kao. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 47,737 residents.
How common is Kao?
Kao ranks #5,379 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.09 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 6,261 people with the surname Kao. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (7,180), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.09 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.09 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 Kao.
Has Kao become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kao went from 6,018 recorded bearers to 6,261. That is an increase of 243 (+4.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #5,758 to #5,379.
What does the Census say about the background of Kao?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kao, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and White (2.8%). 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 Kao in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.8% (5,749 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kao appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (91.8%), Two or More Races (3.6%), White (2.8%). 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 Kao (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 Kao mean?
A Chinese surname meaning "high" or "tall," or referring to a place name in ancient China. 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 Kao (2.09 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 Kao?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Kao is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.