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

Nguyen, 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 Nguyen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nguyen in America

Nguyen is the 98982nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nguyen surname appeared 183 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 Nguyen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nguyen 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 Nguyen

The surname Nguyen has its origins in Vietnam, and it is one of the most common surnames in the country. The name can be traced back to the 16th century and is derived from the Vietnamese word "Rồng," which means "dragon."

In Vietnamese culture, the dragon is a symbol of power, strength, and good luck. It was believed that people with the surname Nguyen were descendants of a powerful dragon and were therefore destined for greatness. The name was particularly popular among the ruling class and the nobility in Vietnam.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Nguyen can be found in the Đại Việt Sử Ký Toàn Thư, a historical text compiled in the 15th century. The text mentions several prominent individuals with the surname Nguyen, including Nguyen Trai, a famous Vietnamese poet and scholar who lived during the 15th century.

Another notable figure in Vietnamese history with the surname Nguyen was Nguyen Hue, also known as Emperor Quang Trung. He was a famous military leader who led the Tay Son rebellion and defeated the Qing dynasty forces, liberating Vietnam from Chinese rule in the late 18th century.

In the 19th century, Nguyen Truong To was a renowned Vietnamese scholar and reformer who helped modernize the country's education system. He was also a prolific writer and translator, and his works played a significant role in shaping Vietnamese literature and culture.

The surname Nguyen has also been associated with several notable figures in modern Vietnamese history. Nguyen Tat Thanh, better known as Ho Chi Minh, was a revolutionary leader and the founder of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. He played a pivotal role in Vietnam's struggle for independence from French colonial rule.

Another famous person with the surname Nguyen was Nguyen Van Thieu, who served as the president of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. He was a controversial figure and was eventually forced to resign in 1975 after the fall of Saigon.

Overall, the surname Nguyen has a rich and storied history in Vietnam, with many notable individuals bearing the name throughout the centuries. It is a testament to the cultural significance and legacy of this ancient surname in Vietnamese society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nguyen

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

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

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

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