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

Nguyễn, 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 Nguyễn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nguyễn in America

Nguyễn is the 116201st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nguyễn surname appeared 150 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 Nguyễn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nguyễn 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 Nguyễn

The surname NEUYEN has its origins in Germany, with the earliest records of the name dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the German word "neu," meaning "new," and the suffix "-en," which was commonly used to form place names. Thus, NEUYEN likely referred to someone who lived in or came from a newly established settlement or village.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the NEUYEN surname can be found in the Kirchenbücher (church records) of the region of Rhineland-Palatinate, where a family by the name of NEUYEN is mentioned in the late 1500s. It is possible that the name originated from a place name such as Neuen, Neuenhof, or Neuendorf, which were common in various parts of Germany during that time period.

In the 17th century, a notable figure bearing the NEUYEN surname was Johann Heinrich NEUYEN (1620-1685), a German merchant and shipping magnate from Hamburg. His successful trading ventures contributed to the growth of the city's maritime industry and established the NEUYEN family as a prominent merchant dynasty in northern Germany.

Another significant individual with the NEUYEN surname was Friedrich Wilhelm NEUYEN (1772-1846), a German philosopher and educator who served as a professor at the University of Berlin. His writings on ethics and moral philosophy influenced the academic discourse of his time.

In the 19th century, the NEUYEN name gained recognition through the works of the German novelist and playwright, Theodor NEUYEN (1815-1890). His literary contributions, particularly his historical dramas and novels set in medieval Germany, earned him widespread acclaim and a place in the canon of German literature.

The surname NEUYEN also found its way into other parts of Europe, including France and the Netherlands, where variations such as NEUIJEN and NEUVENS can be found in historical records. One notable figure from this lineage was Pieter NEUIJEN (1864-1932), a Dutch painter and printmaker known for his landscapes and urban scenes.

Throughout its history, the NEUYEN surname has maintained a presence in various regions of Germany, with several families tracing their lineage back to the original bearers of the name. While the surname may not be as widespread as some others, it has left an indelible mark on the cultural and intellectual heritage of Germany and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nguyễn

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

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

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

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