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

Ren, 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 Ren surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ren in America

Ren is the 6470th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ren surname appeared 5,247 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Ren.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ren 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 Ren

The surname REN originates from China and is believed to have emerged during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is derived from the Chinese word "ren," which means "man" or "person." This name was likely given to individuals as a way to identify them based on their humanity or persona.

In ancient Chinese records, such as the "Ren Shi Zhi" (Records of the Ren Clan), the name REN can be traced back to the 8th century AD. This text mentions prominent members of the Ren family who held important positions in the imperial court during the Tang Dynasty.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname REN was Ren Zong (691-756 AD), a renowned poet and calligrapher during the Tang Dynasty. His works were widely celebrated and have been preserved in various anthologies.

Another notable figure was Ren Fang (460-508 AD), a scholar and writer who lived during the Northern Wei Dynasty. He is renowned for his contributions to the study of Confucian classics and his literary works.

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the Ren family was prominent in the city of Kaifeng, which was the capital at the time. Records from this period mention Ren Zongyi (998-1063 AD), a prominent scholar and official who served in the imperial court.

In the 13th century, the Mongol Empire's invasion of China led to the widespread dispersal of the Ren surname across various regions. However, the name remained prevalent in areas such as Shandong, Hebei, and Henan provinces.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname REN was Ren Bonian (1840-1896), a renowned scholar and reformist during the late Qing Dynasty. He advocated for modernization and played a significant role in the Self-Strengthening Movement.

While the surname REN has ancient roots in China, it has also been adopted by individuals in other parts of Asia and the world, particularly among those with Chinese ancestry or cultural connections.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ren

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

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 Ren 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 Ren 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 Ren was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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