2000
#1,421
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 22,990
First available Census row
Per 100,000 8.52
Uncommon Last name
Ly
A Vietnamese surname derived from the Chinese surname Li, meaning "plum" or "plum tree."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 38,483 Americans carry the last name Ly. That puts it at #1,024 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 11.23 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 8,907 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ly 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 Ly with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
38K
1 in 8,907
Census rank
#1,024
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
11.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
34K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 33,559 bearers of the surname Ly in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 11.23 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1024th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ly, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.2%) and Black (2.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ly
The surname Ly has its origins in the ancient Vietnamese language. It is derived from the Vietnamese word "ly," which means "separate" or "detached." The name first emerged in the northern regions of Vietnam during the 11th century, particularly in the areas surrounding the capital city of Thang Long, now known as Hanoi.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Ly can be found in the historical chronicles of the Ly Dynasty, which ruled Vietnam from 1009 to 1225. During this period, the Ly family held the throne, and their name became closely associated with the ruling class and nobility. The most notable figure from this dynasty was Ly Thanh Tong, a revered emperor who reigned from 1054 to 1072 and was known for his efforts in promoting Buddhism and cultural development.
In the 13th century, the Ly surname gained further prominence with the birth of Ly Tu Trong (1230-1310), a renowned Confucian scholar and philosopher. His writings and teachings had a profound impact on Vietnamese literature and intellectual thought during the Tran Dynasty.
As the Ly family dispersed throughout Vietnam over the centuries, the surname evolved into various spellings and regional variations. In some areas, it was written as "Li" or "Lý," while in others, it took on forms like "Lê" or "Lý Trần."
One of the most famous individuals bearing the Ly surname was Ly Thuong Kiet (1019-1105), a revered general and military strategist who played a crucial role in the Ly Dynasty's defense against the Mongol invasions in the 13th century. His tactics and leadership during the Battle of Bach Dang River in 1288 are celebrated as a defining moment in Vietnam's struggle for independence.
Another notable figure was Ly Cong Uan (1870-1941), a prominent scholar and reformist who advocated for Vietnamese independence from French colonial rule. He was a leading figure in the Dong Du movement, which promoted the modernization of Vietnam through educational and cultural reforms.
Throughout history, the Ly surname has been carried by various Vietnamese families across different regions and social strata. While it originated among the nobility and ruling class, it has since become a common surname found among people from all walks of life, reflecting the rich tapestry of Vietnam's cultural heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ly
Among Census respondents with the surname Ly, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.2%) and Black (2.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Ly 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 Ly surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander92.4% · 31,010
- Two or more races2.2% · 747
- Black or African American2.2% · 732
- White1.7% · 586
- Hispanic or Latino1.4% · 468
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 16
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ly
Ly 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
#1,176
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 29,891
+6,901 bearers (+30.0%)
Per 100,000 10.13
Rank movement Up 245 places
2020
#1,024
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 33,559
+3,668 bearers (+12.3%)
Per 100,000 11.23
Rank movement Up 152 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #1,421 | 22,990 | 8.52 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #1,176 | 29,891 | 10.13 | +6,901 bearers (+30.0%) | Up 245 places |
| 2020 | #1,024 | 33,559 | 11.23 | +3,668 bearers (+12.3%) | Up 152 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 Ly 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 | #1,176 | #1,024 | 12.9% |
| Count | 29,891 | 33,559 | 12.3% |
| Per 100K | 10.13 | 11.23 | 10.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ly bearers went from 29,891 to 33,559 (+12.3% change). The surname moved up 152 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,176 to #1,024.
FAQ
Ly surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ly?
Name Census estimates that about 38,483 living Americans carry the surname Ly. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 8,907 residents.
How common is Ly?
Ly ranks #1,024 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 11.23 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 33,559 people with the surname Ly. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (38,483), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 11.23 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 11.23 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 Ly.
Has Ly become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ly went from 29,891 recorded bearers to 33,559. That is an increase of 3,668 (+12.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #1,176 to #1,024.
What does the Census say about the background of Ly?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ly, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.2%) and Black (2.2%). 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 Ly in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.4% (31,010 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ly appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (92.4%), Two or More Races (2.2%), Black (2.2%). 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 Ly (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 Ly mean?
A Vietnamese surname derived from the Chinese surname Li, meaning "plum" or "plum tree." 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 Ly (11.23 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 people have the last name Ly?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the last name Ly at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.