2000
#6,850
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,523
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.68
Rare Last name
Lao
An occupational surname referring to a person who works with wax, such as a candle maker or wax sculptor.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 7,646 Americans carry the last name Lao. That puts it at #5,096 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.23 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 44,828 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lao 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Lao with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
7.6K
1 in 44,828
Census rank
#5,096
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,668 bearers of the surname Lao in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.23 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5096th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lao, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 85.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.8%) and White (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lao
The surname LAO is of Chinese origin, with roots tracing back to ancient times. It is believed to have originated from the Lao ethnic group, a minority group predominantly found in the southwestern regions of China, particularly in the provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan.
During the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE), the name LAO was commonly used by members of the Lao ethnic group. Records from this period suggest that the name was derived from the word "lao," which in various Chinese dialects meant "old," "ancient," or "venerable." This connection implies that the surname may have been bestowed upon individuals or families who were respected elders or had a long-standing lineage within their communities.
The earliest known historical reference to the surname LAO can be found in the "Manshu Jingji Zhi," a geographical record compiled during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 CE). This document mentions several families bearing the LAO surname residing in the regions of Yunnan and Guizhou. Additionally, the "Yunnan Tongzhi," a local gazetteer from the same period, lists several villages and townships with the name "Laojiazhai" or "Laojiatun," indicating the presence of LAO families in those areas.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the LAO surname was Lao Qian (1488-1562), a renowned scholar and poet from Yunnan during the Ming Dynasty. His works, which included poetry collections and commentaries on classical texts, are still studied and revered in literary circles today.
Another notable figure was Lao Nai'xuan (1837-1892), a prominent military leader and strategist from Guizhou. He played a crucial role in suppressing the Miao Rebellion, a significant uprising against the Qing Dynasty, and his tactical prowess earned him widespread recognition.
In the 20th century, Lao She (1899-1966) emerged as one of the most celebrated writers and playwrights in modern Chinese literature. Born Shu Qingchun in Beijing, he adopted the pen name Lao She, which means "old person" or "old sage." His works, such as the novel "Rickshaw Boy" and the play "Teahouse," provided insightful commentary on Chinese society and culture during turbulent times.
Another prominent figure with the LAO surname was Lao Kou (1917-1982), a renowned painter and calligrapher from Sichuan. His unique style, which combined traditional Chinese techniques with modern influences, earned him widespread acclaim both within China and internationally.
Lastly, Lao Lishi (1924-2005), a respected archaeologist and scholar from Yunnan, made significant contributions to the study of ancient Chinese cultures, particularly the Dian Kingdom, which flourished in the region during the late Bronze Age.
While these are just a few examples, the surname LAO has a rich and diverse history, spanning various fields and regions across China. Its origins can be traced back to the ancient Lao ethnic group, and it has been carried by many notable individuals throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lao
Among Census respondents with the surname Lao, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 85.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.8%) and White (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Lao 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 Lao surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander85.6% · 5,706
- Hispanic or Latino8.8% · 590
- White2.7% · 183
- Two or more races2.1% · 137
- Black or African American0.7% · 49
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Lao
Lao 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
#5,856
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,897
+1,374 bearers (+30.4%)
Per 100,000 2.00
Rank movement Up 994 places
2020
#5,096
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,668
+771 bearers (+13.1%)
Per 100,000 2.23
Rank movement Up 760 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,850 | 4,523 | 1.68 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,856 | 5,897 | 2.00 | +1,374 bearers (+30.4%) | Up 994 places |
| 2020 | #5,096 | 6,668 | 2.23 | +771 bearers (+13.1%) | Up 760 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 Lao 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 | #5,856 | #5,096 | 13.0% |
| Count | 5,897 | 6,668 | 13.1% |
| Per 100K | 2.00 | 2.23 | 11.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Lao bearers went from 5,897 to 6,668 (+13.1% change). The surname moved up 760 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,856 to #5,096.
FAQ
Lao surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Lao?
Name Census estimates that about 7,646 living Americans carry the surname Lao. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 44,828 residents.
How common is Lao?
Lao ranks #5,096 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.23 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 6,668 people with the surname Lao. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (7,646), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.23 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.23 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Lao.
Has Lao become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Lao went from 5,897 recorded bearers to 6,668. That is an increase of 771 (+13.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #5,856 to #5,096.
What does the Census say about the background of Lao?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lao, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 85.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.8%) 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 Lao in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.6% (5,706 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Lao appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (85.6%), Hispanic (8.8%), 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 Lao (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 Lao mean?
An occupational surname referring to a person who works with wax, such as a candle maker or wax sculptor. 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 Lao (2.23 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 Americans have the surname Lao?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.