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

Koh, 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 Koh surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Koh in America

Koh is the 9090th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Koh surname appeared 3,595 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Koh.

We can also compare 2010 data for Koh 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 Koh

The surname KOH has its origins in China, with the earliest known records dating back to the 6th century CE. It is believed to be derived from the Mandarin Chinese words "ke" and "hu," which translates to "guest" and "living," respectively. This suggests that the name may have been given to families who were known for their hospitality or for providing lodging to travelers.

One of the earliest known references to the KOH surname can be found in the Tang Dynasty archives, where a merchant named KOH Zhi-yuan is mentioned as having established a successful trade route between Chang'an (modern-day Xi'an) and the Silk Road cities in Central Asia. This suggests that the name was already well-established among the merchant class by the 7th century.

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE), the KOH surname gained prominence in the southern regions of China, particularly in the provinces of Guangdong and Fujian. Several notable scholars and officials bore this name, including KOH Qian (1023-1094), a renowned philosopher and author of the treatise "On the Cultivation of the Mind."

As the KOH family spread across China, the name took on various regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. In the coastal regions of Fujian, for instance, it was sometimes written as "Kho" or "Kau," while in the northern provinces, it was more commonly spelled as "Koh" or "Ko."

One of the most famous individuals with the KOH surname was KOH Shun-chen (1592-1671), a celebrated artist and calligrapher who served as a court painter during the Ming Dynasty. His works are still highly regarded today and can be found in museums across China and Taiwan.

Another notable figure was KOH Tsu-tsung (1630-1716), a renowned scholar and mathematician who made significant contributions to the development of Chinese algebra and trigonometry. His work, "The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art," became a standard textbook for generations of students.

In the 19th century, the KOH surname gained international recognition with the exploits of KOH Ah Keng (1835-1901), a prominent Chinese merchant and community leader in Singapore. He founded one of the city's earliest Chinese temples and played a pivotal role in promoting Chinese culture and education in the region.

While the KOH surname has its roots in China, it has since spread to various parts of the world, with notable bearers in countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, and the United States. However, its rich history and cultural significance remain deeply rooted in its Chinese origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Koh

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

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

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

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