2010
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Roeung
A surname of Khmer origin, possibly derived from a placename or occupation.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Roeung. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Roeung 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
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Roeung in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Roeung, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.3%. The next largest groups are White (2.8%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Roeung
The surname ROEUNG is of Khmer origin and can be traced back to the ancient Khmer Empire, which flourished in modern-day Cambodia from the 9th to the 15th century. It is believed to be derived from the Khmer word "រួង" (rouəng), which means "high ground" or "elevated land."
During the reign of the Khmer Empire, many Khmer families adopted surnames based on their place of origin, occupation, or other distinguishing characteristics. The ROEUNG surname likely originated from a family or group of people who resided on or near a raised land formation or elevated region within the empire's vast territory.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the ROEUNG surname can be found in the Angkor inscriptions, a collection of stone inscriptions from the Angkor period (802-1431 AD) that provide valuable insights into the history, culture, and social structures of the Khmer civilization. The name appears in several inscriptions, often associated with individuals holding positions of authority or influence within the Khmer society.
Notable individuals with the ROEUNG surname throughout history include:
1. Roeung Samnam (1899-1971), a Cambodian politician and diplomat who served as the Kingdom of Cambodia's ambassador to France and the United States in the mid-20th century.
2. Roeung Bun Chhoeun (1926-2008), a prominent Cambodian writer and poet, known for his contributions to the preservation of Khmer literature and culture.
3. Roeung Monirit (born 1939), a Cambodian academic and linguist who has dedicated his career to the study and promotion of the Khmer language.
4. Roeung Bunheng (born 1956), a Cambodian architect and urban planner, renowned for his efforts in preserving and restoring historical Khmer architecture and urban landscapes.
5. Roeung Sokun (born 1965), a Cambodian entrepreneur and philanthropist, who has made significant contributions to the economic and social development of Cambodia through various business ventures and charitable initiatives.
The ROEUNG surname has also been associated with several place names in Cambodia, such as Roeung Leu, a village in the Battambang province, and Roeung Tep, a district in the Banteay Meanchey province. These places likely derived their names from the families or communities with the ROEUNG surname who settled in those areas.
While the ROEUNG surname may not be as widely recognized as some other Khmer surnames, it holds a significant place in the rich cultural heritage and history of Cambodia, serving as a reminder of the country's ancient roots and the resilience of its people.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Roeung
Among Census respondents with the surname Roeung, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.3%. The next largest groups are White (2.8%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Roeung 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 Roeung surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander94.3% · 100
- White2.8% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.9% · 2
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Roeung
Roeung appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
+4 bearers (+3.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,093 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.9%) | Up 6,093 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 Roeung 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 | #158,432 | #152,339 | 3.8% |
| Count | 102 | 106 | 3.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 18.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Roeung bearers went from 102 to 106 (+3.9% change). The surname moved up 6,093 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #152,339.
FAQ
Roeung surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Roeung?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Roeung. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Roeung?
Roeung ranks #152,339 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 106 people with the surname Roeung. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Roeung.
Has Roeung become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Roeung went from 102 recorded bearers to 106. That is an increase of 4 (+3.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Roeung?
Among Census respondents with the surname Roeung, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.3%. The next largest groups are White (2.8%) and Hispanic (1.9%). 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 Roeung in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.3% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Roeung appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (94.3%), White (2.8%), Hispanic (1.9%). 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 Roeung (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 Roeung mean?
A surname of Khmer origin, possibly derived from a placename or occupation. 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 Roeung (0.04 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 surname Roeung?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.