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

Ning, 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 Ning surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ning in America

Ning is the 25037th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ning surname appeared 992 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 Ning.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ning 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 Ning

The surname NING is of Chinese origin, with its roots traced back to the 6th century AD during the Northern and Southern Dynasties period in ancient China. The name is believed to have originated in the Guangdong province, specifically in the areas around the cities of Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the NING surname can be found in the "Book of Tang," a historical text compiled during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). The book mentions a notable figure named NING Qiang, who served as a military general and played a significant role in the conquest of the Western Regions (modern-day Xinjiang and Central Asia) during the reign of Emperor Taizong.

The NING surname is thought to have derived from the old Chinese word "ning," which means "peaceful" or "tranquil." This connection suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon individuals or families who embodied these qualities or lived in regions known for their serenity.

In the 14th century, during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368 AD), a prominent Confucian scholar named NING Zizhi (1278-1344) gained recognition for his contributions to the study of neo-Confucianism and the establishment of the Longmen Academy in Guangdong.

Another notable figure bearing the NING surname was NING Jizhe (1687-1763), a literary scholar and poet who lived during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). He is renowned for his anthology of poetry titled "Haoshishu" and his influential work in promoting the study of the Confucian classics.

During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the NING surname was also associated with the city of Ningbo, located in the eastern coastal province of Zhejiang. It is speculated that the name of the city may have been derived from the NING surname, or vice versa, as the city was known for its peaceful and tranquil environment.

In more recent history, NING Baizura (1913-2000) was a prominent Chinese writer and translator who played a significant role in introducing Western literature to Chinese readers. He was instrumental in translating works by authors such as Shakespeare, Goethe, and Dostoyevsky into Chinese.

It is worth noting that the NING surname has also been found in other regions of Asia, including Vietnam and Malaysia, where it has been adapted to local pronunciations and spellings over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ning

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

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

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

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