2000
#2,353
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 14,095
First available Census row
Per 100,000 5.22
Uncommon Last name
Liang
A Chinese surname meaning "bright" or "clear," often referring to the virtue of uprightness or a shining example.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 37,048 Americans carry the last name Liang. That puts it at #1,066 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 10.81 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 9,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Liang 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 Liang with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
37K
1 in 9,252
Census rank
#1,066
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
10.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
32K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 32,308 bearers of the surname Liang in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 10.81 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1066th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Liang, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.2%. The next largest groups are White (1.9%) and Two or More Races (1.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Liang
The surname LIANG originated in China and dates back over 1,000 years. It is derived from the Chinese character "梁" which means beam or ridge, and is commonly associated with surnames from the Guangdong and Fujian provinces in southeastern China.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the LIANG surname can be found in the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), where it was used by several prominent families and officials. During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the LIANG surname gained further prominence, with several LIANG families holding positions of power and influence.
In the 11th century, a LIANG family from Guangdong was recorded in the historical text "Zhongzhou Zhi" (Records of Zhongzhou). This text mentions a LIANG village located in what is now Guangdong province, suggesting that the surname had already been well-established in the region by that time.
One notable historical figure with the LIANG surname was LIANG Qichao (1873-1929), a prominent scholar, philosopher, and reformist during the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China era. He played a significant role in the intellectual and political movements of his time.
Another famous LIANG was LIANG Sicheng (1901-1972), a renowned architect and historian who was instrumental in preserving and restoring many of China's ancient architectural treasures, including the Forbidden City in Beijing.
In the field of art, LIANG Kai (1140-1210) was a celebrated painter and calligrapher during the Southern Song Dynasty, known for his innovative techniques and contributions to the development of Chinese landscape painting.
LIANG Shi (1778-1847) was a prominent scholar and official during the Qing Dynasty, serving as a governor in several provinces and contributing to the compilation of the "Siku Quanshu," one of the largest literary collections in Chinese history.
LIANG Shuming (1893-1988) was a renowned philosopher and educator who played a significant role in the revival of traditional Chinese culture and values in the 20th century, influencing generations of intellectuals and students.
While the LIANG surname is most commonly associated with southeastern China, it has also spread to other regions and countries over time, with LIANG families found in various parts of the world today.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Liang
Among Census respondents with the surname Liang, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.2%. The next largest groups are White (1.9%) and Two or More Races (1.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Liang 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 Liang surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander96.2% · 31,084
- White1.9% · 602
- Two or more races1.1% · 353
- Hispanic or Latino0.5% · 172
- Black or African American0.3% · 96
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Liang
Liang 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
#1,480
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 24,140
+10,045 bearers (+71.3%)
Per 100,000 8.18
Rank movement Up 873 places
2020
#1,066
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 32,308
+8,168 bearers (+33.8%)
Per 100,000 10.81
Rank movement Up 414 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,353 | 14,095 | 5.22 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #1,480 | 24,140 | 8.18 | +10,045 bearers (+71.3%) | Up 873 places |
| 2020 | #1,066 | 32,308 | 10.81 | +8,168 bearers (+33.8%) | Up 414 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 Liang 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 | #1,480 | #1,066 | 28.0% |
| Count | 24,140 | 32,308 | 33.8% |
| Per 100K | 8.18 | 10.81 | 32.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Liang bearers went from 24,140 to 32,308 (+33.8% change). The surname moved up 414 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,480 to #1,066.
FAQ
Liang surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Liang?
Name Census estimates that about 37,048 living Americans carry the surname Liang. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 9,252 residents.
How common is Liang?
Liang ranks #1,066 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 10.81 per 100,000 residents, which is about 11 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 32,308 people with the surname Liang. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (37,048), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 10.81 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 10.81 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 11 of them to have the surname Liang.
Has Liang become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Liang went from 24,140 recorded bearers to 32,308. That is an increase of 8,168 (+33.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #1,480 to #1,066.
What does the Census say about the background of Liang?
Among Census respondents with the surname Liang, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.2%. The next largest groups are White (1.9%) and Two or More Races (1.1%). 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 Liang in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.2% (31,084 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Liang appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (96.2%), White (1.9%), Two or More Races (1.1%). 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 Liang (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 Liang mean?
A Chinese surname meaning "bright" or "clear," often referring to the virtue of uprightness or a shining example. 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 Liang (10.81 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 Liang?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Liang on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.