2000
#45,078
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 448
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.17
Very Rare Last name
Pyun
A variant spelling of a Korean surname meaning "plain, open."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 578 Americans carry the last name Pyun. That puts it at #45,684 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.17 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 593,001 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pyun 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.
Bearers in the US
578
1 in 593,001
Census rank
#45,684
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
504
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 504 bearers of the surname Pyun in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.17 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 45684th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pyun, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.3%. The next largest groups are White (3.8%) and Two or More Races (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pyun
The surname PYUN is believed to have originated in Korea, although its precise origins are uncertain. It is thought to have emerged during the Goryeo Dynasty (918–1392) or the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1897) periods.
Some scholars suggest that PYUN may have derived from an ancient Korean word meaning "prosperous" or "flourishing." Others propose it could be linked to a particular region or village where the name first took root.
Records from the Goryeo and Joseon eras are scarce, making it difficult to pinpoint the earliest documented instances of the PYUN surname. However, some historical figures bearing this name have been identified.
One of the earliest known individuals with the PYUN surname was Pyun Yong-sun (1467–1542), a renowned poet and calligrapher during the Joseon Dynasty. His works are celebrated for their elegant style and profound insights.
Another notable PYUN was Pyun Jong-ho (1537–1615), a respected Confucian scholar and statesman who served as a royal advisor during the reign of King Seonjo. He played a pivotal role in shaping the kingdom's policies and academic discourse.
In the 18th century, Pyun Yun-shik (1721–1784) gained prominence as a talented painter and landscape artist. His intricate brushwork and mastery of color captured the essence of nature, earning him widespread acclaim.
During the late 19th century, Pyun Il-hyung (1826–1900) emerged as a influential figure in the Donghak peasant revolution. His teachings advocated for social justice and equality, inspiring many followers to challenge the ruling elite.
Another figure of historical significance was Pyun Yong-tae (1856–1939), a pioneering educator and proponent of modern educational reforms. He played a crucial role in establishing Korea's first modern educational institutions.
Throughout its history, the PYUN surname has been associated with various geographical regions in Korea, including the provinces of Gyeongsang, Jeolla, and Gangwon. However, its exact place of origin remains uncertain, and the name has since spread across the country and beyond.
While the PYUN surname may not have appeared in major historical texts or records like the Domesday Book, it has left an indelible mark on Korean history through the contributions of individuals who bore this name in various fields, from the arts and literature to politics and education.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pyun
Among Census respondents with the surname Pyun, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.3%. The next largest groups are White (3.8%) and Two or More Races (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Pyun 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 Pyun surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander92.3% · 465
- White3.8% · 19
- Two or more races2.4% · 12
- Hispanic or Latino1.2% · 6
- Black or African American0.4% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pyun
Pyun 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
#42,640
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 508
+60 bearers (+13.4%)
Per 100,000 0.17
Rank movement Up 2,438 places
2020
#45,684
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 504
-4 bearers (-0.8%)
Per 100,000 0.17
Rank movement Down 3,044 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #45,078 | 448 | 0.17 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #42,640 | 508 | 0.17 | +60 bearers (+13.4%) | Up 2,438 places |
| 2020 | #45,684 | 504 | 0.17 | -4 bearers (-0.8%) | Down 3,044 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 Pyun 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 | #42,640 | #45,684 | -7.1% |
| Count | 508 | 504 | -0.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.17 | 0.17 | -0.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pyun bearers went from 508 to 504 (-0.8% change). The surname moved down 3,044 positions in the national ranking, going from #42,640 to #45,684.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Pyun
FAQ
Pyun surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pyun?
Name Census estimates that about 578 living Americans carry the surname Pyun. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 593,001 residents.
How common is Pyun?
Pyun ranks #45,684 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.17 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 504 people with the surname Pyun. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (578), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.17 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.17 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Pyun.
Has Pyun become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pyun went from 508 recorded bearers to 504. That is a decrease of 4 (-0.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #42,640 to #45,684.
What does the Census say about the background of Pyun?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pyun, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.3%. The next largest groups are White (3.8%) and Two or More Races (2.4%). 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 Pyun in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.3% (465 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pyun appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (92.3%), White (3.8%), Two or More Races (2.4%). 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 Pyun (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 Pyun mean?
A variant spelling of a Korean surname meaning "plain, open." 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 Pyun (0.17 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 Pyun?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.