2000
#5,882
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,387
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.00
Rare Last name
Phung
A Vietnamese surname derived from the Chinese surname Féng, meaning "wind" or "phoenix."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 9,231 Americans carry the last name Phung. That puts it at #4,258 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.69 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 37,131 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Phung 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 Phung with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
9.2K
1 in 37,131
Census rank
#4,258
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
8.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 8,050 bearers of the surname Phung in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.69 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4258th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Phung, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.9%) and White (1.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Phung
The surname PHUNG is of Vietnamese origin, tracing its roots back to the ancient Vietnamese kingdom of Champa, which existed from the 2nd to the 19th century in what is now central and southern Vietnam. The name is believed to have derived from the Cham language, which was spoken by the Cham people, an ethnic group native to the region.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name PHUNG can be found in the Cham inscriptions dating back to the 7th century CE. These inscriptions, carved in stone, were discovered in various archaeological sites throughout the former Champa territory. Although the exact meaning of the name is unclear, it is speculated to have been associated with a particular clan or lineage within the Cham society.
During the period of Chinese dominance in Vietnam, which lasted from 111 BCE to 939 CE, the name PHUNG was also found in Chinese historical records documenting the interactions between the Han Chinese and the Cham people. These records provide valuable insights into the cultural exchanges and conflicts between the two civilizations.
The name PHUNG gained further prominence during the reign of the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945), the last imperial dynasty of Vietnam. Several notable figures with the surname PHUNG emerged during this period, including:
1. Phung Khac Khoan (1528-1613), a revered Confucian scholar and high-ranking mandarin during the Le Dynasty.
2. Phung Khac Can (1776-1835), a renowned poet and calligrapher who served as a high-ranking official in the early years of the Nguyen Dynasty.
3. Phung Khac Hoan (1828-1914), a prominent military leader and strategist who played a crucial role in the defense of Vietnam against French colonial forces.
In more recent history, the name PHUNG has been associated with several influential individuals:
4. Phung Chi Kien (1915-1995), a Vietnamese journalist and writer known for his pioneering work in the field of children's literature.
5. Phung Xuan Nha (1912-1963), a celebrated Vietnamese poet and playwright whose works have been widely studied and acclaimed for their artistic merit.
While the surname PHUNG has its roots in ancient Vietnam, it has since spread across the globe due to migration and diasporic communities. Nonetheless, the name remains deeply intertwined with the rich cultural heritage and history of Vietnam, serving as a testament to the enduring legacy of the Cham people and their contributions to the region's cultural tapestry.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Phung
Among Census respondents with the surname Phung, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.9%) and White (1.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Phung 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 Phung surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander95.7% · 7,706
- Two or more races1.9% · 152
- White1.3% · 105
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 73
- Black or African American0.1% · 12
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Phung
Phung 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
#4,915
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,155
+1,768 bearers (+32.8%)
Per 100,000 2.43
Rank movement Up 967 places
2020
#4,258
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,050
+895 bearers (+12.5%)
Per 100,000 2.69
Rank movement Up 657 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,882 | 5,387 | 2.00 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,915 | 7,155 | 2.43 | +1,768 bearers (+32.8%) | Up 967 places |
| 2020 | #4,258 | 8,050 | 2.69 | +895 bearers (+12.5%) | Up 657 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 Phung 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 | #4,915 | #4,258 | 13.4% |
| Count | 7,155 | 8,050 | 12.5% |
| Per 100K | 2.43 | 2.69 | 10.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Phung bearers went from 7,155 to 8,050 (+12.5% change). The surname moved up 657 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,915 to #4,258.
FAQ
Phung surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Phung?
Name Census estimates that about 9,231 living Americans carry the surname Phung. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 37,131 residents.
How common is Phung?
Phung ranks #4,258 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.69 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 8,050 people with the surname Phung. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (9,231), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.69 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.69 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Phung.
Has Phung become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Phung went from 7,155 recorded bearers to 8,050. That is an increase of 895 (+12.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #4,915 to #4,258.
What does the Census say about the background of Phung?
Among Census respondents with the surname Phung, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.9%) and White (1.3%). 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 Phung in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.7% (7,706 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Phung appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (95.7%), Two or More Races (1.9%), White (1.3%). 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 Phung (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 Phung mean?
A Vietnamese surname derived from the Chinese surname Féng, meaning "wind" or "phoenix." 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 Phung (2.69 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 Americans have the surname Phung?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.