Find out how popular the last name Radu is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Radu.

Radu, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Radu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Radu in America

Radu is the 25810th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Radu surname appeared 954 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Radu.

We can also compare 2010 data for Radu to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Radu

The surname RADU is of Romanian origin, deriving from the medieval Slavic name "Rad" or "Radu," which means "joyful" or "happy." Its origins can be traced back to the 14th century in the historical region of Wallachia, now part of modern-day Romania.

The earliest recorded instance of the name RADU appears in the Wallachian chronicles, referring to Radu I, a Prince of Wallachia who ruled from 1364 to 1383. He was instrumental in establishing the Bassarab dynasty, which governed Wallachia for over two centuries.

During the 15th century, the name gained prominence with Radu the Handsome (Radu cel Frumos), a Prince of Wallachia who reigned from 1462 to 1475. He was known for his military prowess and his efforts to maintain Wallachia's independence from the Ottoman Empire.

In the 16th century, Radu Șerban, another Wallachian Prince, ruled from 1602 to 1611. He is noted for his cultural and architectural contributions, including the construction of several churches and monasteries in Bucharest.

One of the most famous historical figures with the surname RADU is Radu Mihnea (1612-1663), a Prince of Wallachia who is celebrated for his efforts to promote education and culture in the region. He established the first printing press in Wallachia and commissioned the translation of numerous religious texts.

Beyond the princely lineage, the surname RADU has also been associated with other notable individuals. Radu Stanca (1920-1962) was a renowned Romanian playwright and poet, known for his influential works that explored social and political themes.

It is important to note that while the surname RADU has its roots in Romanian history, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. However, its origins remain firmly rooted in the rich history and traditions of Romania.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Radu

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Radu.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Radu was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Radu has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Radu was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Radu, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!