2000
#4,914
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,570
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.44
Rare Last name
Kuo
A Chinese surname meaning "pot, jar, jug" or "to pass, go by," likely referring to a potter or messenger.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 9,055 Americans carry the last name Kuo. That puts it at #4,346 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.64 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 37,852 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kuo 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
9.1K
1 in 37,852
Census rank
#4,346
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
7.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 7,896 bearers of the surname Kuo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.64 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4346th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kuo, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.8%) and White (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kuo
The surname "KUO" is believed to have originated in China, with its roots dating back to ancient times. The name is thought to be derived from the Chinese word "guo," which translates to "kingdom" or "state." It is a relatively common surname in regions of China, particularly in the southern provinces.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "KUO" can be found in the historical records of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). During this era, a prominent figure named Kuo Qian served as a high-ranking military official and played a significant role in the expansion of the Tang Empire.
In the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the name "KUO" appeared in various literary works and official documents. One notable individual was Kuo Xuan, a renowned scholar and philosopher who made significant contributions to the interpretation of Confucian texts.
During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the name "KUO" was associated with several distinguished individuals. One of them was Kuo Shoujing, an astronomer and mathematician who made groundbreaking advancements in calendar reform and astronomical calculations.
Another prominent figure from this period was Kuo Xing, a prominent politician and military strategist who played a crucial role in the overthrow of the Yuan Dynasty and the establishment of the Ming Dynasty.
In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD), the name "KUO" continued to be prominent. One notable individual was Kuo Songtao, a diplomat and reformist who advocated for the modernization of China's political and military systems.
Throughout history, the name "KUO" has also been associated with various place names and older spellings of locations. For instance, the city of Guozhou (formerly spelled as "KUO-chou") in Hebei Province was once an important administrative center during the Tang Dynasty.
While the surname "KUO" has a rich history spanning centuries, it is important to note that this account focuses on historical records and does not include recent census data or modern-day references, as these may be subject to change or inaccuracies.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kuo
Among Census respondents with the surname Kuo, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.8%) and White (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Kuo 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 Kuo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander92.4% · 7,299
- Two or more races3.8% · 297
- White2.7% · 214
- Hispanic or Latino0.7% · 58
- Black or African American0.3% · 27
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kuo
Kuo 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
#4,767
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,426
+856 bearers (+13.0%)
Per 100,000 2.52
Rank movement Up 147 places
2020
#4,346
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,896
+470 bearers (+6.3%)
Per 100,000 2.64
Rank movement Up 421 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #4,914 | 6,570 | 2.44 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,767 | 7,426 | 2.52 | +856 bearers (+13.0%) | Up 147 places |
| 2020 | #4,346 | 7,896 | 2.64 | +470 bearers (+6.3%) | Up 421 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 Kuo 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 | #4,767 | #4,346 | 8.8% |
| Count | 7,426 | 7,896 | 6.3% |
| Per 100K | 2.52 | 2.64 | 4.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kuo bearers went from 7,426 to 7,896 (+6.3% change). The surname moved up 421 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,767 to #4,346.
FAQ
Kuo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kuo?
Name Census estimates that about 9,055 living Americans carry the surname Kuo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 37,852 residents.
How common is Kuo?
Kuo ranks #4,346 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.64 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 7,896 people with the surname Kuo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (9,055), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.64 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.64 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Kuo.
Has Kuo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kuo went from 7,426 recorded bearers to 7,896. That is an increase of 470 (+6.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #4,767 to #4,346.
What does the Census say about the background of Kuo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kuo, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.8%) and White (2.7%). 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 Kuo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.4% (7,299 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kuo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (92.4%), Two or More Races (3.8%), White (2.7%). 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 Kuo (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 Kuo mean?
A Chinese surname meaning "pot, jar, jug" or "to pass, go by," likely referring to a potter or messenger. 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 Kuo (2.64 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 Kuo?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how common the surname Kuo is at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.