2000
#4,343
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,572
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.81
Uncommon Last name
Ong
A Chinese surname meaning "peace" or "harmony," or referring to the Chinese region of Weng.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 12,027 Americans carry the last name Ong. That puts it at #3,350 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.51 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 28,499 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ong surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Ong with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
12K
1 in 28,499
Census rank
#3,350
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
10K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,488 bearers of the surname Ong in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.51 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3350th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ong, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 86.5%. The next largest groups are White (6.7%) and Two or More Races (4.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ong
The surname ONG originates from Malaysia and has its roots traced back to the 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Hokkien Chinese word "ong" which means "prosperous" or "flourishing". The name was prominent among the Hokkien Chinese community in the Malaysian states of Penang and Perak.
In ancient Chinese records, the name ONG was found inscribed on stone tablets and scrolls, indicating its long-standing existence. One of the earliest documented references to the name appears in the "Xingshi Hengchao" (姓氏横钞), a comprehensive Chinese genealogical text compiled during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
The first recorded bearer of the surname ONG was Ong Tun Perak, a prominent merchant and trader who lived in Penang in the late 18th century. He played a crucial role in establishing trade routes between Malaysia and other parts of Southeast Asia.
Another notable figure was Ong Sum Ping (1857-1918), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Penang. He founded the Ong Teng Cheong School, which remains one of the most prestigious educational institutions in the region.
During the 19th century, the name ONG appeared in several historical documents and records in Malaysia, including land deeds, court proceedings, and business ledgers. The name was also associated with the Ong clan, a powerful and influential family in Penang and the surrounding areas.
In the field of literature, a famous bearer of the name was Ong Tae Hae (1892-1964), a renowned Malaysian poet and writer who contributed significantly to the preservation of Hokkien culture and literature.
Another prominent individual was Ong Keng Sen (1914-1995), a respected statesman and diplomat who served as Malaysia's Ambassador to Thailand and Indonesia during the latter half of the 20th century.
While the surname ONG is most commonly found in Malaysia, it has also spread to other parts of Southeast Asia and beyond due to migration and diaspora. However, its roots and historical significance remain deeply intertwined with the Hokkien Chinese community in Malaysia.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ong
Among Census respondents with the surname Ong, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 86.5%. The next largest groups are White (6.7%) and Two or More Races (4.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Ong bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Ong surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander86.5% · 9,076
- White6.7% · 707
- Two or more races4.1% · 432
- Hispanic or Latino2.2% · 234
- Black or African American0.3% · 36
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ong
Ong appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#3,704
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,584
+2,012 bearers (+26.6%)
Per 100,000 3.25
Rank movement Up 639 places
2020
#3,350
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,488
+904 bearers (+9.4%)
Per 100,000 3.51
Rank movement Up 354 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #4,343 | 7,572 | 2.81 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,704 | 9,584 | 3.25 | +2,012 bearers (+26.6%) | Up 639 places |
| 2020 | #3,350 | 10,488 | 3.51 | +904 bearers (+9.4%) | Up 354 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Ong surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,704 | #3,350 | 9.6% |
| Count | 9,584 | 10,488 | 9.4% |
| Per 100K | 3.25 | 3.51 | 8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ong bearers went from 9,584 to 10,488 (+9.4% change). The surname moved up 354 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,704 to #3,350.
FAQ
Ong surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ong?
Name Census estimates that about 12,027 living Americans carry the surname Ong. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 28,499 residents.
How common is Ong?
Ong ranks #3,350 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.51 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 10,488 people with the surname Ong. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (12,027), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.51 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.51 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Ong.
Has Ong become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ong went from 9,584 recorded bearers to 10,488. That is an increase of 904 (+9.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #3,704 to #3,350.
What does the Census say about the background of Ong?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ong, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 86.5%. The next largest groups are White (6.7%) and Two or More Races (4.1%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Ong in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.5% (9,076 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ong appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (86.5%), White (6.7%), Two or More Races (4.1%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Ong (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Ong mean?
A Chinese surname meaning "peace" or "harmony," or referring to the Chinese region of Weng. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Ong (3.51 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Ong?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.