2000
#6,968
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,434
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.64
Rare Last name
Ming
A Chinese surname derived from the royal family of the Ming dynasty, which ruled China from 1368 to 1644.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,754 Americans carry the last name Ming. That puts it at #9,499 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.10 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 91,304 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ming 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 Ming with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.8K
1 in 91,304
Census rank
#9,499
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,274 bearers of the surname Ming in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.10 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9499th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ming, the largest self-reported group is White at 40.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (28.1%) and Black (19.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ming
The surname MING originated in China during the Ming Dynasty, which ruled from 1368 to 1644. The name itself is derived from the Chinese characters meaning "bright" or "brilliant." It is believed to have been adopted as a surname by members of the imperial family or those closely associated with the ruling dynasty.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the MING surname can be found in the historical records of the Ming Dynasty itself. These records document the lives and accomplishments of prominent individuals bearing this name, including government officials, scholars, and military leaders.
During the Ming Dynasty, the MING surname was particularly concentrated in the regions around the capital city of Nanjing and the surrounding areas of Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. Over time, as people migrated and settled in different parts of China, the MING surname spread to other regions as well.
In the realm of literature, one notable figure with the MING surname was Ming Jing (1428-1507), a renowned scholar and writer who served as an official in the Ming court. His works, which included poetry and essays, were widely admired and influential during his time.
Another prominent individual bearing the MING surname was Ming Zheng (1507-1583), a Confucian scholar and educator. He is renowned for his contributions to the development of neo-Confucian philosophy and for his efforts in promoting education and moral teachings.
In the field of art, the MING surname was carried by Ming Zhen (1568-1628), a renowned painter and calligrapher. His works, characterized by their delicate brushstrokes and elegant compositions, are considered among the finest examples of Ming Dynasty art.
During the Ming Dynasty, several place names were associated with the MING surname. For instance, the town of Mingxian in Sichuan province was named after a prominent MING family who lived in the area. Similarly, the village of Mingshan in Anhui province derived its name from the MING lineage that resided there.
Throughout history, the MING surname has been carried by many other notable individuals, including military leaders, merchants, and artists. While the surname may have evolved in its spelling or pronunciation across different regions, its connection to the illustrious Ming Dynasty remains a defining part of its legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ming
Among Census respondents with the surname Ming, the largest self-reported group is White at 40.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (28.1%) and Black (19.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Ming 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 Ming surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White40.5% · 1,325
- Asian and Pacific Islander28.1% · 921
- Black or African American19.8% · 647
- Two or more races7.1% · 231
- Hispanic or Latino4.1% · 133
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 17
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ming
Ming 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
#8,718
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,764
-670 bearers (-15.1%)
Per 100,000 1.28
Rank movement Down 1,750 places
2020
#9,499
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,274
-490 bearers (-13.0%)
Per 100,000 1.10
Rank movement Down 781 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,968 | 4,434 | 1.64 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #8,718 | 3,764 | 1.28 | -670 bearers (-15.1%) | Down 1,750 places |
| 2020 | #9,499 | 3,274 | 1.10 | -490 bearers (-13.0%) | Down 781 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 Ming 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 | #8,718 | #9,499 | -9.0% |
| Count | 3,764 | 3,274 | -13.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.28 | 1.10 | -14.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ming bearers went from 3,764 to 3,274 (-13.0% change). The surname moved down 781 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,718 to #9,499.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Ming
FAQ
Ming surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ming?
Name Census estimates that about 3,754 living Americans carry the surname Ming. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 91,304 residents.
How common is Ming?
Ming ranks #9,499 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.10 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,274 people with the surname Ming. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,754), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.1 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.10 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Ming.
Has Ming become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ming went from 3,764 recorded bearers to 3,274. That is a decrease of 490 (-13.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #8,718 to #9,499.
What does the Census say about the background of Ming?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ming, the largest self-reported group is White at 40.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (28.1%) and Black (19.8%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Ming in the 2020 Census, accounting for 40.5% (1,325 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ming appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (40.5%), Asian/Pacific Islander (28.1%), Black (19.8%). 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 Ming (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 Ming mean?
A Chinese surname derived from the royal family of the Ming dynasty, which ruled China from 1368 to 1644. 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 Ming (1.10 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 common is the surname Ming?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Ming on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.