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

Kwang, 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 Kwang surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kwang in America

Kwang is the 89753rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kwang surname appeared 206 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 Kwang.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kwang 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 Kwang

The surname Kwang has its origins in China, where it emerged as a family name during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). The name is derived from the Chinese word "guāng," which means "bright" or "shining." It likely originated as a descriptive name given to someone with a bright or radiant personality or appearance.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Kwang surname can be found in the Chinese historical text "The Old Book of Tang," which documents the lives of prominent figures during the Tang Dynasty. This text includes references to several individuals with the surname Kwang, indicating that the name was well-established by that time.

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the Kwang surname gained further prominence. Historical records from this period mention Kwang Guan, a renowned scholar and poet who lived from 1016 to 1095 AD. He was known for his contributions to Neo-Confucianism and his influential works on philosophy and literature.

In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the Kwang surname spread to other parts of China as families migrated and settled in new regions. One notable figure from this era was Kwang Zhen, a renowned painter and calligrapher who lived from 1525 to 1605 AD. His works are celebrated for their innovative techniques and artistic expression.

As the Chinese diaspora spread across the globe, the Kwang surname traveled with them. In the 18th century, there are records of individuals with the Kwang surname in various parts of Southeast Asia, including Malaysia and Singapore. One notable example is Kwang Siew Boon, a prominent businessman and philanthropist from Penang, Malaysia, who lived from 1786 to 1856.

The 19th century saw the Kwang surname gain a foothold in North America, as Chinese immigrants began arriving in search of economic opportunities. One notable figure from this era was Kwang Chang Ling, a businessman and community leader in San Francisco, who lived from 1831 to 1901. He was instrumental in establishing Chinese organizations and advocating for the rights of Chinese immigrants in the United States.

Throughout history, the Kwang surname has been associated with various place names and alternate spellings. In certain regions of China, it was sometimes written as "Guāng" or "Kuāng," reflecting local dialect variations. Additionally, the surname has been linked to place names such as Guangzhou (formerly Canton) and Guangxi, indicating the areas where it may have originated or gained prominence.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kwang

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

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

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

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