2000
#8,457
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,588
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.33
Rare Last name
Seng
A Chinese surname meaning "monk" or "Buddhist priest," or referring to a place called Seng.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,273 Americans carry the last name Seng. That puts it at #7,040 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.54 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 65,002 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Seng 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
5.3K
1 in 65,002
Census rank
#7,040
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,598 bearers of the surname Seng in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.54 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7040th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Seng, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 60.8%. The next largest groups are White (32.7%) and Hispanic (3.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Seng
The surname SENG has its origins in the Germanic and Scandinavian regions, with records dating back to the 8th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old Norse word "sengr," which means "bed" or "couch." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with occupations related to furniture-making or innkeeping.
One of the earliest known references to the name SENG can be found in the Domesday Book, a survey commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, where it is recorded as "Senges." This suggests that the name had already established a presence in England by the 11th century.
In the 13th century, records show a family named SENG residing in the German town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Several members of this family are mentioned in historical documents, including Johannes SENG (1245-1312), a respected craftsman known for his intricate woodcarvings.
During the Renaissance period, the name SENG gained prominence in the Netherlands, where a prominent family of artists and scholars emerged. The most notable member was Gerrit SENG (1566-1642), a renowned painter whose works can be found in several Dutch museums.
In the 18th century, a German soldier named Friedrich SENG (1721-1798) gained recognition for his bravery during the Seven Years' War. He was awarded the Iron Cross for his valor in the Battle of Leuthen in 1757.
The 19th century saw the migration of many SENG families to the United States and other parts of the world. One notable individual was Hans SENG (1832-1901), a Swiss entrepreneur who established a successful textile business in Pennsylvania.
Another significant figure was Amelia SENG (1876-1957), a British author and suffragette who actively campaigned for women's rights in the early 20th century. Her memoir, "A Life in Pursuit of Equality," remains an important historical document.
Throughout its history, the surname SENG has been associated with various professions, from craftsmanship and artistry to military service and entrepreneurship. While its origins can be traced back to the Germanic and Scandinavian regions, the name has since spread across the globe, leaving its mark on various cultures and societies.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Seng
Among Census respondents with the surname Seng, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 60.8%. The next largest groups are White (32.7%) and Hispanic (3.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Seng 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 Seng surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander60.8% · 2,795
- White32.7% · 1,502
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 162
- Two or more races2.5% · 117
- Black or African American0.4% · 20
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Seng
Seng 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
#7,311
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,563
+975 bearers (+27.2%)
Per 100,000 1.55
Rank movement Up 1,146 places
2020
#7,040
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,598
+35 bearers (+0.8%)
Per 100,000 1.54
Rank movement Up 271 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,457 | 3,588 | 1.33 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,311 | 4,563 | 1.55 | +975 bearers (+27.2%) | Up 1,146 places |
| 2020 | #7,040 | 4,598 | 1.54 | +35 bearers (+0.8%) | Up 271 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 Seng 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 | #7,311 | #7,040 | 3.7% |
| Count | 4,563 | 4,598 | 0.8% |
| Per 100K | 1.55 | 1.54 | -0.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Seng bearers went from 4,563 to 4,598 (+0.8% change). The surname moved up 271 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,311 to #7,040.
FAQ
Seng surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Seng?
Name Census estimates that about 5,273 living Americans carry the surname Seng. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 65,002 residents.
How common is Seng?
Seng ranks #7,040 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.54 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,598 people with the surname Seng. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,273), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.54 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.54 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Seng.
Has Seng become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Seng went from 4,563 recorded bearers to 4,598. That is an increase of 35 (+0.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #7,311 to #7,040.
What does the Census say about the background of Seng?
Among Census respondents with the surname Seng, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 60.8%. The next largest groups are White (32.7%) and Hispanic (3.5%). 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 Seng in the 2020 Census, accounting for 60.8% (2,795 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Seng appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (60.8%), White (32.7%), Hispanic (3.5%). 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 Seng (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 Seng mean?
A Chinese surname meaning "monk" or "Buddhist priest," or referring to a place called Seng. 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 Seng (1.54 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 common is the surname Seng?
Want to know how common the surname Seng is? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.