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

Shiu, 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 Shiu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shiu in America

Shiu is the 26576th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shiu surname appeared 917 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 Shiu.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shiu 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 Shiu

The surname SHIU originated in China, likely during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is believed to have derived from the Chinese word "xiu," which means "elegant" or "refined." The name was initially used to describe someone with a graceful or cultured demeanor.

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the SHIU surname gained prominence in the coastal regions of southern China, particularly in the provinces of Guangdong and Fujian. It was commonly found among scholars, artists, and members of the gentry class.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the SHIU name can be found in the "Xiaozhi Wenxian Tongkao," a comprehensive collection of historical documents from the Song Dynasty. This work mentions a prominent scholar named SHIU Yizhi (1033-1107), who was celebrated for his literary achievements and served as a high-ranking official in the imperial court.

In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the SHIU surname spread across various regions of China, including Zhejiang, Jiangxi, and Hubei provinces. During this period, several notable figures bearing the SHIU name made their mark in various fields, such as SHIU Xueliang (1528-1593), a renowned painter and calligrapher, and SHIU Zongxian (1616-1688), a respected philosopher and educator.

As the SHIU surname expanded its reach, it also found its way into the historical records of other East Asian countries. For instance, in Japan, there are records of a samurai warrior named SHIU Nobuyoshi (1549-1615) who served under the powerful Tokugawa shogunate.

Throughout the centuries, the SHIU surname has been associated with several notable figures in various fields, including:

1. SHIU Qingquan (1833-1911), a prominent Chinese diplomat and statesman during the late Qing Dynasty.
2. SHIU Fong-Chun (1890-1973), a celebrated Cantonese opera singer and actress from Hong Kong.
3. SHIU Ying-Fai (1916-2005), a renowned Hong Kong film director and screenwriter.
4. SHIU Wen-Yi (1929-2018), a highly respected Taiwanese writer and literary scholar.
5. SHIU Ching-Cheong (born 1950), a Hong Kong-based journalist and author known for his reporting on China.

While the SHIU surname has its roots in ancient China, it has since spread worldwide, with descendants carrying on the name's legacy in various cultures and communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shiu

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

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

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

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