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

Khoo, 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 Khoo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Khoo in America

Khoo is the 31689th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Khoo surname appeared 729 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Khoo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Khoo 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 Khoo

The surname KHOO originated from the Hokkien Chinese dialect and is associated with the Minnan people from the Fujian province of China. It is believed to have emerged during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) when many Chinese surnames were first formalized.

One theory suggests that the name KHOO derives from the ancient Chinese word "Khou" which means "groove" or "ditch". This could indicate that the earliest bearers of the name may have lived near a groove or ditch-like geographical feature. Another theory links the name to the Hokkien word "Khu" which means "hut" or "dwelling", suggesting the name may have originated from a familial place of residence.

The earliest recorded instances of the KHOO surname can be traced back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) in the Fujian region of China. Historical records from this period, such as local gazetteers and genealogical records, document the presence of KHOO families in various parts of Fujian.

One notable early figure with the KHOO surname was Khoo Seok Wan (1550-1612), a Hokkien scholar and poet who lived during the Ming Dynasty. He was renowned for his literary works and contributions to the education system in Fujian.

As the Hokkien people migrated to various parts of Southeast Asia, the KHOO surname spread to regions like Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. One of the earliest recorded KHOO families in Southeast Asia was the Khoo Kongsi, a prominent clan association based in Penang, Malaysia, which can trace its roots back to the 17th century.

Another significant figure with the KHOO surname was Khoo Teck Puat (1917-2004), a Singaporean businessman and philanthropist. He was the founder of the Goodwood Group of Hotels and made substantial donations to education and healthcare institutions in Singapore.

Khoo Kay Kim (1937-2019) was a renowned Malaysian architect and urban planner, known for his contributions to the development of cities like Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya. He was awarded the Tan Sri title, one of Malaysia's highest honors, for his outstanding achievements.

In Indonesia, one notable KHOO figure was Khoo Siong Gie (1907-1994), a Chinese-Indonesian businessman and philanthropist. He was recognized for his contributions to the development of the Pekanbaru region in Sumatra and his support for educational institutions.

The KHOO surname has also been recorded in various historical documents and genealogical records from China, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, providing valuable insights into the history and migration patterns of the Hokkien Chinese diaspora.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Khoo

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

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

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

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