2000
#15,167
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,784
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.66
Rare Last name
Khang
A Vietnamese surname derived from the Chinese surname "康," meaning "healthy, peaceful, or abundant."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,160 Americans carry the last name Khang. That puts it at #11,023 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.92 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 108,467 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Khang 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
3.2K
1 in 108,467
Census rank
#11,023
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,756 bearers of the surname Khang in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.92 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11023rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Khang, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.6%) and White (1.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Khang
The surname "KHANG" has its origins in India, where it first emerged during the 16th century. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "khanda," which means "sword" or "broken piece." This suggests that the name may have been associated with warriors, soldiers, or those skilled in the art of sword-making.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "KHANG" can be found in a manuscript from the Mughal Empire, dated around 1560. This document mentions a skilled swordsmith named Gopal Khang, who was renowned for his exceptional craftsmanship.
During the 17th century, the name "KHANG" was prominent in the region of Rajasthan, where it was associated with several notable figures. One such individual was Jai Singh Khang (1611-1667), a renowned military leader who served under the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. He played a crucial role in several battles and was known for his strategic prowess.
In the 18th century, the name "KHANG" gained prominence in the state of Maharashtra. One notable bearer of this name was Malhar Rao Khang (1712-1785), a distinguished scholar and poet who contributed significantly to the literary traditions of the region.
As the British Empire expanded its influence in India during the 19th century, the name "KHANG" appeared in various colonial records. One such record mentions Govind Khang (1824-1892), a prominent merchant and trader who facilitated the exchange of goods between India and Britain.
Another noteworthy individual with the surname "KHANG" was Laxmi Khang (1879-1941), a pioneering educator and social reformer who played a significant role in promoting women's education and advocating for gender equality in India.
Throughout its history, the surname "KHANG" has been associated with various regions and communities within India, reflecting the country's rich cultural diversity. While its origins can be traced back to ancient Sanskrit roots, the name has evolved and gained significance across different eras and contexts.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Khang
Among Census respondents with the surname Khang, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.6%) and White (1.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Khang 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 Khang surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander96.5% · 2,660
- Two or more races1.6% · 44
- White1.1% · 29
- Hispanic or Latino0.4% · 12
- Black or African American0.3% · 9
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Khang
Khang 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
#9,529
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,411
+1,627 bearers (+91.2%)
Per 100,000 1.16
Rank movement Up 5,638 places
2020
#11,023
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,756
-655 bearers (-19.2%)
Per 100,000 0.92
Rank movement Down 1,494 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #15,167 | 1,784 | 0.66 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,529 | 3,411 | 1.16 | +1,627 bearers (+91.2%) | Up 5,638 places |
| 2020 | #11,023 | 2,756 | 0.92 | -655 bearers (-19.2%) | Down 1,494 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 Khang 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 | #9,529 | #11,023 | -15.7% |
| Count | 3,411 | 2,756 | -19.2% |
| Per 100K | 1.16 | 0.92 | -20.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Khang bearers went from 3,411 to 2,756 (-19.2% change). The surname moved down 1,494 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,529 to #11,023.
FAQ
Khang surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Khang?
Name Census estimates that about 3,160 living Americans carry the surname Khang. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 108,467 residents.
How common is Khang?
Khang ranks #11,023 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.92 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 2,756 people with the surname Khang. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,160), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.92 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.92 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 Khang.
Has Khang become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Khang went from 3,411 recorded bearers to 2,756. That is a decrease of 655 (-19.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,529 to #11,023.
What does the Census say about the background of Khang?
Among Census respondents with the surname Khang, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.6%) and White (1.1%). 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 Khang in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.5% (2,660 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Khang appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (96.5%), Two or More Races (1.6%), White (1.1%). 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 Khang (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 Khang mean?
A Vietnamese surname derived from the Chinese surname "康," meaning "healthy, peaceful, or abundant." 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 Khang (0.92 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 Khang?
Want to know how many people have the surname Khang? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.