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

Kwong, 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 Kwong surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kwong in America

Kwong is the 6084th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kwong surname appeared 5,637 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Kwong.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kwong 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 Kwong

The surname Kwong originates from China and has its roots in the Cantonese dialect spoken in the Guangdong province. It is believed to have originated during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) and is a transliteration of the Chinese characters 鄺 or 鍧.

Kwong is derived from the ancient Chinese word "Kuang", which means "bright" or "shining". This name was likely given to individuals who possessed qualities of brilliance, either in intellect or character. Alternatively, it may have been a reference to someone's physical appearance or occupation related to light or illumination.

Historical records indicate that the Kwong surname first appeared in the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) in the area around the city of Guangzhou, formerly known as Canton. During this period, the surname was also spelled as Kuang or Kwong, reflecting the variations in romanization.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Kwong was Kwong Yuen-Shun, a renowned scholar and poet who lived during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD). He is known for his influential work, "The Elegance of Kwong's Poetry", which was widely studied and admired.

Another notable figure was Kwong Tai-Fung, a successful merchant and philanthropist who lived in the late 18th century. He established several schools and charitable organizations in his hometown of Guangzhou, leaving a lasting legacy of generosity and dedication to education.

In the 19th century, Kwong Hing-Fatt, a skilled architect, designed and oversaw the construction of several iconic buildings in Hong Kong, including the Old Supreme Court Building and the Flagstaff House Museum. His contributions to the city's architecture are still celebrated today.

Kwong Wah-Yuen, a renowned calligrapher and artist, was active during the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD). His intricate brushwork and mastery of traditional Chinese calligraphy earned him widespread acclaim, and his works are highly valued by collectors and museums.

Lastly, Kwong Ching-Lin, a prominent politician and diplomat, played a pivotal role in the negotiations that led to the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 1997. His efforts in maintaining stability and facilitating the transition of sovereignty from the United Kingdom to China were widely recognized.

These are just a few examples of individuals with the surname Kwong who have left their mark on history, spanning various fields such as literature, commerce, architecture, art, and diplomacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kwong

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

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

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

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