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

Ngo, 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 Ngo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ngo in America

Ngo is the 1062nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ngo surname appeared 33,005 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 11 people would have the surname Ngo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ngo 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 Ngo

The surname Ngo originates from Vietnam, with its earliest known usage dating back to the 15th century during the Later Le Dynasty. It is believed to be derived from the Vietnamese word "ngo," which means "bamboo." The name was likely given to families who lived near or worked with bamboo groves.

Ngo is a relatively common surname in Vietnam, particularly in the northern and central regions. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Annals of the Lê Dynasty, a historical text from the 15th century, which mentions a courtier named Ngo Thi Nham.

In the 17th century, a prominent figure named Ngo Thi Ngan played a significant role in the resistance against the Trinh Lords, who ruled over northern Vietnam during that time. Ngo Thi Ngan was a renowned military leader and strategist, and her efforts are celebrated in Vietnamese folklore.

The name Ngo also has a connection to several place names in Vietnam. For instance, the village of Ngo Quyen in Hai Duong Province is named after a 10th-century Vietnamese military leader, Ngo Quyen, who played a crucial role in defeating the Chinese army and establishing Vietnamese independence.

Another notable individual with the surname Ngo was Ngo Dinh Diem, who served as the first President of South Vietnam from 1955 until his assassination in 1963. Ngo Dinh Diem's family originated from the village of Phu Cam in Quang Tri Province.

Other historical figures with the surname Ngo include Ngo Bao Chau, a renowned Vietnamese mathematician and scholar from the 18th century, and Ngo Gia Tu, a 19th-century Vietnamese poet and writer who is celebrated for his contributions to the country's literary heritage.

While the surname Ngo is most commonly associated with Vietnam, it has also been recorded in other Southeast Asian countries, such as Cambodia and Laos, likely due to migration and cultural exchange within the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ngo

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

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

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

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