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

Nhu, 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 Nhu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nhu in America

Nhu is the 147253rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nhu surname appeared 112 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 Nhu.

The history of the last name Nhu

The surname NHU has its origins in Vietnam, with the earliest known records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Vietnamese word "nhu," which means "gentle" or "soft." This name was often bestowed upon individuals who exhibited these qualities or had a calm demeanor.

During the Nguyen Dynasty, which ruled Vietnam from 1802 to 1945, the surname NHU gained prominence. In ancient records from this period, several notable individuals bearing this name were mentioned, including Nhu Dinh Tuan, a respected scholar and poet who lived in the early 19th century.

One of the earliest documented instances of the surname NHU can be found in the "Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi," a historical text compiled during the reign of Emperor Gia Long in the early 19th century. This work chronicled the annals of Vietnam and included references to several individuals with the NHU surname.

In the late 18th century, a village in the northern province of Bac Ninh was known as "Nhu Xa," which translates to "Gentle Village." It is speculated that this place name may have influenced the surname NHU or vice versa.

Notable figures throughout history who bore the NHU surname include Nhu Dinh Tuan, the scholar and poet mentioned earlier, who lived from 1795 to 1863. Another prominent individual was Nhu Thi Hanh, a celebrated poet who lived during the 17th century and is renowned for her contributions to Vietnamese literature.

During the 20th century, Nhu Dinh Diem, who served as the first president of South Vietnam from 1955 to 1963, was a significant figure with the NHU surname. His controversial rule and eventual assassination played a pivotal role in the Vietnam War.

Another individual of note was Nhu Quynh, a renowned artist and calligrapher who lived from 1924 to 2010. His works were highly regarded and contributed significantly to the preservation of Vietnamese cultural heritage.

While the surname NHU may have evolved over time, its roots can be traced back to Vietnam, where it has been a part of the cultural tapestry for centuries, representing qualities of gentleness and calm.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nhu

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

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 Nhu 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.

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!