2000
#14,236
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,934
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.72
Rare Last name
Qiu
A Chinese surname derived from a word meaning "hill" or "mound," referring to a person's place of origin.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 9,354 Americans carry the last name Qiu. That puts it at #4,206 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.73 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 36,643 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Qiu 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 Qiu with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
9.4K
1 in 36,643
Census rank
#4,206
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
8.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 8,157 bearers of the surname Qiu in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.73 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4206th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Qiu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.5%. The next largest groups are White (2.1%) and Two or More Races (0.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Qiu
The surname Qiu originated in China, with the earliest known records dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is believed to be derived from the Chinese character "邱," which means "mound" or "hill." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to people who lived in hilly or mountainous regions.
During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the name Qiu appeared in various local records and genealogies. One notable example is the "Qiu Shi," a genealogical record compiled by the Qiu family from Zhejiang province. This document traces the family's lineage back to the Tang Dynasty and provides insights into their history and achievements.
In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the Qiu surname gained prominence with several notable figures. Qiu Jun (1420-1495), a renowned scholar and author, wrote extensively on Confucian philosophy and served as an advisor to the imperial court. Another prominent individual was Qiu Fengjia (1492-1552), a renowned painter and calligrapher whose works are preserved in various museums and collections.
The Qianlong Emperor (1711-1799) of the Qing Dynasty had a close relationship with the Qiu family. Several members served as high-ranking officials and advisors in his court. One such figure was Qiu Bao (1737-1799), who held the position of Grand Secretary and was known for his literary talents.
In more recent history, Qiu Qingquan (1897-1983) was a prominent military leader and politician who played a significant role in the Chinese Civil War and the establishment of the People's Republic of China. He served as the Commander-in-Chief of the People's Liberation Army and later held various political positions.
Another notable individual was Qiu Xiaolong (1953-), a renowned author and poet. His works, including the Inspector Chen series of crime novels, have received critical acclaim and have been translated into numerous languages, introducing Chinese culture and literature to a global audience.
While the surname Qiu is predominantly found in China, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. Individuals with this surname can be found in various countries, carrying on the rich cultural heritage and history associated with this ancient Chinese name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Qiu
Among Census respondents with the surname Qiu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.5%. The next largest groups are White (2.1%) and Two or More Races (0.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Qiu 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 Qiu surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander96.5% · 7,875
- White2.1% · 171
- Two or more races0.7% · 56
- Black or African American0.4% · 36
- Hispanic or Latino0.2% · 18
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Qiu
Qiu 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
#7,520
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,424
+2,490 bearers (+128.7%)
Per 100,000 1.50
Rank movement Up 6,716 places
2020
#4,206
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,157
+3,733 bearers (+84.4%)
Per 100,000 2.73
Rank movement Up 3,314 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #14,236 | 1,934 | 0.72 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,520 | 4,424 | 1.50 | +2,490 bearers (+128.7%) | Up 6,716 places |
| 2020 | #4,206 | 8,157 | 2.73 | +3,733 bearers (+84.4%) | Up 3,314 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 Qiu 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 | #7,520 | #4,206 | 44.1% |
| Count | 4,424 | 8,157 | 84.4% |
| Per 100K | 1.50 | 2.73 | 81.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Qiu bearers went from 4,424 to 8,157 (+84.4% change). The surname moved up 3,314 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,520 to #4,206.
FAQ
Qiu surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Qiu?
Name Census estimates that about 9,354 living Americans carry the surname Qiu. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 36,643 residents.
How common is Qiu?
Qiu ranks #4,206 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.73 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 8,157 people with the surname Qiu. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (9,354), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.73 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.73 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 Qiu.
Has Qiu become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Qiu went from 4,424 recorded bearers to 8,157. That is an increase of 3,733 (+84.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #7,520 to #4,206.
What does the Census say about the background of Qiu?
Among Census respondents with the surname Qiu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.5%. The next largest groups are White (2.1%) and Two or More Races (0.7%). 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 Qiu in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.5% (7,875 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Qiu appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (96.5%), White (2.1%), Two or More Races (0.7%). 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 Qiu (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 Qiu mean?
A Chinese surname derived from a word meaning "hill" or "mound," referring to a person's place of origin. 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 Qiu (2.73 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 have the last name Qiu?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Qiu on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.