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

Sheu, 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 Sheu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sheu in America

Sheu is the 36477th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sheu surname appeared 613 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 Sheu.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sheu 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 Sheu

The surname SHEU is believed to have originated in China, specifically in the region of Guangdong province. Its roots can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE). The name is thought to have derived from the Chinese characters 舒 (shū) and 周 (zhōu), which together can be translated as "comfortable" or "at ease."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the SHEU surname can be found in the genealogical records of the Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE). These records mention a notable scholar named Sheu Yuanxi, who lived during the 11th century and was renowned for his contributions to Confucian philosophy.

During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 CE), the SHEU name gained prominence in the city of Guangzhou (formerly known as Canton), where several members of the family held influential positions in the local government and merchant guilds. In the 16th century, a merchant named Sheu Shuiyu was instrumental in establishing trade routes between Guangzhou and Southeast Asia.

In the 18th century, a scholar and poet named Sheu Qingxian (1737-1801) gained recognition for his works, which celebrated the beauty of nature and the virtues of Confucian ideals. His poetry collection, "Zhuangxuan Anthology," is still widely studied and appreciated in literary circles.

Another notable figure bearing the SHEU surname was Sheu Zhili (1880-1949), a military leader and politician who played a significant role in the early years of the Republic of China. He served as the Premier of the Beiyang government from 1918 to 1922 and was instrumental in the Northern Expedition, which aimed to unify China under the Kuomintang (Nationalist Party) in the late 1920s.

In the field of academia, Sheu Guangyu (1928-2021) was a renowned historian and scholar who specialized in the study of Chinese literature and culture. His works, such as "The Flourishing of Chinese Culture" and "The Evolution of Chinese Thought," have been widely acclaimed and have made significant contributions to the understanding of Chinese intellectual history.

While the SHEU surname is most prevalent in China, particularly in the Guangdong and Fujian provinces, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, detailed historical records and accounts from other regions are scarce, as the focus of this report is primarily on the surname's origins and notable figures in Chinese history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sheu

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

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

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

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