Lau
A Chinese surname meaning "hill" or "mound," or referring to a person who lived near a hill.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 34,618 Americans carry the last name Lau. That puts it at #1,187 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 10.10 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 9,901 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lau surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
35K
1 in 9,901
Census rank
#1,187
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
10.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
30K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 29,792 bearers of the surname Lau in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 10.10 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1187th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lau, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 76.1%. The next largest groups are White (16.2%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lau
The surname "Lau" has its origins in Germany and Denmark, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "loh," meaning a small forest or wooded area. This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have lived near or in a forested region.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "Lau" can be traced back to the German city of Hamburg in the 13th century, where it appeared in municipal records as "Lawe." This spelling variation likely stemmed from the Low German dialect spoken in that region.
In Denmark, the name "Lau" is thought to have originated from the place name "Lauenburg," a town located in the northern part of the country. Historical records from the 15th century mention individuals with the surname "Lau" residing in this area.
During the 16th century, a notable figure named Hans Lau (1516-1584) was a prominent German printer and publisher based in Wittenberg, where he worked closely with Martin Luther and played a significant role in the spread of the Protestant Reformation through his printing press.
Another historical figure with the surname "Lau" was Johann Friedrich Lau (1687-1768), a German composer and organist who served as the Kapellmeister (chapel master) at the court of the Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels in the early 18th century.
In the 19th century, Carl Lau (1822-1885) was a Danish painter known for his landscapes and genre scenes depicting rural life in Denmark. His works are considered important representations of the Danish Golden Age of painting.
Across the Atlantic, one of the earliest recorded instances of the name "Lau" in North America dates back to the late 17th century, when Johann Lau (1660-1730) immigrated to Pennsylvania from Germany and became one of the founding settlers of Germantown, now part of Philadelphia.
Another notable figure with this surname was Theodor Lau (1670-1740), a German-born architect and builder who emigrated to Russia in the early 18th century and played a significant role in the construction of various landmarks in St. Petersburg, including the Peter and Paul Cathedral.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lau
Among Census respondents with the surname Lau, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 76.1%. The next largest groups are White (16.2%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Lau bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Lau surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander76.1%
- White16.2%
- Two or more races3.9%
- Hispanic or Latino3.5%
- Black or African American0.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Lau surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,259 | #1,187 | 5.7% |
| Count | 25,624 | 29,792 | 16.3% |
| Per 100K | 9.50 | 10.10 | 6.3% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Lau bearers went from 25,624 to 29,792 (+16.3% change). The surname moved up 72 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,259 to #1,187.
FAQ
Lau surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Lau?
The surname Lau holds position #1,187 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 34,618 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 10.10 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Lau surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lau, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 76.1%. The next largest groups are White (16.2%) and Two or More Races (3.9%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.