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

Liaw, 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 Liaw surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Liaw in America

Liaw is the 41657th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Liaw surname appeared 522 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 Liaw.

We can also compare 2010 data for Liaw 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 Liaw

The surname LIAW originated in China, with roots dating back to the 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Mandarin Chinese word "liào," meaning "willow tree." This name was likely given to a family who lived near or worked with willow trees.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the LIAW surname can be found in the Ming Dynasty's genealogical records, where a family with this name is mentioned as residing in the Zhejiang Province of eastern China. The name was initially spelled as "劉," but over time, it evolved into different variations, including "廖" and "钅."

In the 16th century, a notable figure named LIAW Zongyi (1535-1613) was a renowned scholar and poet during the Ming Dynasty. His works were widely celebrated and have been preserved in various literary anthologies.

During the Qing Dynasty, in the late 18th century, a man named LIAW Guangdi (1770-1849) was a prominent military leader and strategist. He played a crucial role in several battles against rebel forces and was known for his tactical brilliance.

As Chinese immigrants began to settle in other parts of the world, the LIAW surname spread to various regions. In the 19th century, a notable example is LIAW Khai Siong (1835-1901), a successful businessman and philanthropist who established several schools and charitable organizations in Singapore.

Another significant figure was LIAW Yung-an (1895-1976), a Chinese-American scientist and engineer who made significant contributions to the field of aerodynamics. He worked for companies like Boeing and was instrumental in the development of aircraft design during the early 20th century.

Throughout history, the LIAW surname has been present in various regions of China, as well as in areas with significant Chinese diaspora communities, such as Southeast Asia, North America, and other parts of the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Liaw

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

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

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

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