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 128249th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nguyễn surname appeared 133 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 Nguyen has its origins in Vietnam, where it is the most common family name. The name is derived from the Vietnamese word "Rường," which means "villa" or "village." This surname first appeared in historical records during the 15th century, when the Nguyen family rose to prominence as a noble and influential clan.

The Nguyen surname is believed to have originated in the northern region of Vietnam, particularly in the provinces of Nam Dinh and Ninh Binh. These areas were historically centers of Vietnamese culture and governance, where many noble families resided.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Nguyen surname can be found in the "Đại Việt Sử Ký Toàn Thư" (Complete Annals of Đại Việt), a historical text compiled in the 15th century. This text mentions several prominent individuals with the Nguyen surname, including Nguyen Trai, a renowned philosopher, poet, and military strategist who lived from 1380 to 1442.

Another notable figure with the Nguyen surname was Nguyen Hue, a celebrated military leader and emperor of Vietnam from 1788 to 1792. He played a crucial role in the Tay Son Rebellion, which overthrew the Nguyen lords and established the Tay Son Dynasty.

The Nguyen surname is also closely associated with the Nguyen Dynasty, which ruled Vietnam from 1802 to 1945. This dynasty was founded by Nguyen Anh, who later took the imperial name Gia Long. During this period, the Nguyen surname gained further prominence and recognition throughout Vietnam.

In addition to its historical significance, the Nguyen surname has been carried by several other notable individuals, such as Nguyen Du, a celebrated poet who lived from 1765 to 1820 and is best known for his epic poem "The Tale of Kieu." Nguyen Khac Vien, a prominent painter and writer who lived from 1912 to 1997, is another notable figure with this surname.

The Nguyen surname has also been associated with various place names in Vietnam, including Nguyen Binh, a district in the Cao Bang province, and Nguyen Xa, a commune in the Ha Nam province. These place names further underscore the deep-rooted historical presence of the Nguyen surname in Vietnam.

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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