2000
#17,588
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,473
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.55
Rare Last name
Ryu
A Korean surname derived from the Hanja character meaning "willow," referring to someone who lived near willow trees.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,663 Americans carry the last name Ryu. That puts it at #9,700 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.07 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 93,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ryu 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
3.7K
1 in 93,572
Census rank
#9,700
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,194 bearers of the surname Ryu in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.07 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9700th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ryu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.7%. The next largest groups are White (2.3%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ryu
The surname RYU is of Japanese origin, tracing its roots back to the 8th century AD. It is believed to be derived from the Japanese word "ryu," meaning "dragon" or "stream." The name was initially associated with regions near rivers or areas known for their dragon folklore.
In ancient Japanese records, the earliest mention of the RYU surname can be found in the Shoku Nihongi, a historical text from the 8th century AD. This chronicle mentions a noble family called Ryu no Uji, which held significant influence in the eastern regions of Japan during the Nara period.
During the Kamakura era, which spanned from 1185 to 1333 AD, the RYU surname gained prominence among samurai clans. One notable figure was Ryu Tomomune, a skilled warrior who served under the Hojo clan in the late 12th century. He was renowned for his bravery and loyalty on the battlefield.
In the 16th century, a prominent RYU family emerged in the Kyoto region. This family was known for their expertise in traditional Japanese arts, such as calligraphy and poetry. One member, Ryu Shinkei (1511-1588), was a renowned calligrapher and painter who served as a court artist during the Azuchi-Momoyama period.
The RYU surname also has connections to various place names in Japan. For instance, the town of Ryuoh, located in Shiga Prefecture, was named after a local RYU clan that governed the area during the Edo period (1603-1868).
Another notable figure was Ryu Kwansai (1693-1756), a Confucian scholar and philosopher who contributed significantly to the Neo-Confucian movement in Japan. His teachings and writings had a profound influence on the intellectual circles of his time.
In the 19th century, Ryu Koshin (1828-1909) was a prominent military leader and strategist who played a crucial role in the Boshin War, which marked the end of the Tokugawa shogunate and the restoration of imperial rule in Japan.
While the RYU surname is primarily associated with Japan, it has also been adopted by individuals of Japanese descent in other parts of the world, reflecting the historical migrations and cultural exchanges that have taken place over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ryu
Among Census respondents with the surname Ryu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.7%. The next largest groups are White (2.3%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Ryu 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 Ryu surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander94.7% · 3,026
- White2.3% · 75
- Two or more races1.7% · 55
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 24
- Black or African American0.4% · 14
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ryu
Ryu 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
#11,543
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,723
+1,250 bearers (+84.9%)
Per 100,000 0.92
Rank movement Up 6,045 places
2020
#9,700
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,194
+471 bearers (+17.3%)
Per 100,000 1.07
Rank movement Up 1,843 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #17,588 | 1,473 | 0.55 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,543 | 2,723 | 0.92 | +1,250 bearers (+84.9%) | Up 6,045 places |
| 2020 | #9,700 | 3,194 | 1.07 | +471 bearers (+17.3%) | Up 1,843 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 Ryu 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 | #11,543 | #9,700 | 16.0% |
| Count | 2,723 | 3,194 | 17.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.92 | 1.07 | 16.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ryu bearers went from 2,723 to 3,194 (+17.3% change). The surname moved up 1,843 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,543 to #9,700.
FAQ
Ryu surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ryu?
Name Census estimates that about 3,663 living Americans carry the surname Ryu. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 93,572 residents.
How common is Ryu?
Ryu ranks #9,700 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.07 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 3,194 people with the surname Ryu. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,663), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.07 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.07 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 Ryu.
Has Ryu become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ryu went from 2,723 recorded bearers to 3,194. That is an increase of 471 (+17.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #11,543 to #9,700.
What does the Census say about the background of Ryu?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ryu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.7%. The next largest groups are White (2.3%) and Two or More Races (1.7%). 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 Ryu in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.7% (3,026 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ryu appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (94.7%), White (2.3%), Two or More Races (1.7%). 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 Ryu (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 Ryu mean?
A Korean surname derived from the Hanja character meaning "willow," referring to someone who lived near willow trees. 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 Ryu (1.07 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 Americans have the surname Ryu?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.