2000
#19,629
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,271
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.47
Rare Last name
Qu
A Chinese surname meaning "bent" or "crooked," likely referring to a person's physical characteristics or place of origin.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,847 Americans carry the last name Qu. That puts it at #7,577 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.41 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 70,715 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Qu 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
4.8K
1 in 70,715
Census rank
#7,577
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,227 bearers of the surname Qu in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.41 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7577th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Qu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.4%. The next largest groups are White (2.4%) and Hispanic (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Qu
The surname "QU" is believed to have originated in China, with its roots dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is thought to be derived from the Chinese word "qiu," which means "autumn" or "harvest." This suggests that the name may have been associated with families or clans involved in agricultural activities during that period.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname "QU" can be found in the "Tang Huiyao," a historical text compiled during the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD). This document contains records of various families and individuals who held official positions or made significant contributions during the Tang era.
In the 12th century, a scholar and poet named Qu Yuan (340-278 BC) gained prominence for his patriotic works and influenced the development of the Qu surname. His legacy is celebrated annually during the Dragon Boat Festival, which commemorates his life and literary achievements.
During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the "QU" surname spread to various regions of China, and several notable figures emerged. One such individual was Qu Shunzhi (1630-1644), who briefly served as the Shunzhi Emperor, the first ruler of the Qing Dynasty.
In the 18th century, Qu Dajun (1630-1696) was a prominent philosopher and scholar who made significant contributions to the Neo-Confucian movement. His works on ethics and moral philosophy influenced intellectual discourse during the Qing Dynasty.
Another notable figure was Qu Qiubai (1899-1935), a Chinese communist revolutionary and writer who played a crucial role in the early stages of the Chinese Communist Party. He was executed during the Stalinist purges in the Soviet Union, where he had sought asylum.
While the surname "QU" has its origins in China, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. However, its historical significance and deep-rooted connections to Chinese culture remain an integral part of its legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Qu
Among Census respondents with the surname Qu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.4%. The next largest groups are White (2.4%) and Hispanic (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Qu 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 Qu surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander95.4% · 4,031
- White2.4% · 100
- Hispanic or Latino1.0% · 41
- Black or African American0.7% · 29
- Two or more races0.5% · 23
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Qu
Qu 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
#12,035
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,593
+1,322 bearers (+104.0%)
Per 100,000 0.88
Rank movement Up 7,594 places
2020
#7,577
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,227
+1,634 bearers (+63.0%)
Per 100,000 1.41
Rank movement Up 4,458 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #19,629 | 1,271 | 0.47 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,035 | 2,593 | 0.88 | +1,322 bearers (+104.0%) | Up 7,594 places |
| 2020 | #7,577 | 4,227 | 1.41 | +1,634 bearers (+63.0%) | Up 4,458 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 Qu 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 | #12,035 | #7,577 | 37.0% |
| Count | 2,593 | 4,227 | 63.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.88 | 1.41 | 60.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Qu bearers went from 2,593 to 4,227 (+63.0% change). The surname moved up 4,458 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,035 to #7,577.
FAQ
Qu surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Qu?
Name Census estimates that about 4,847 living Americans carry the surname Qu. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 70,715 residents.
How common is Qu?
Qu ranks #7,577 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.41 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,227 people with the surname Qu. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,847), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.41 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.41 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Qu.
Has Qu become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Qu went from 2,593 recorded bearers to 4,227. That is an increase of 1,634 (+63.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #12,035 to #7,577.
What does the Census say about the background of Qu?
Among Census respondents with the surname Qu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.4%. The next largest groups are White (2.4%) and Hispanic (1.0%). 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 Qu in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.4% (4,031 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Qu appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (95.4%), White (2.4%), Hispanic (1.0%). 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 Qu (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 Qu mean?
A Chinese surname meaning "bent" or "crooked," likely referring to a person's physical characteristics or 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 Qu (1.41 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 Qu?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.