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

Shu, 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 Shu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shu in America

Shu is the 12644th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shu surname appeared 2,447 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Shu.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shu 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 Shu

The surname SHU is believed to have originated in China, with records dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is derived from the Chinese word "shu," which means "book" or "scholar." The name was likely given to individuals who were associated with literary or scholarly pursuits.

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the SHU surname gained prominence, particularly in the regions of Zhejiang and Jiangsu. Several notable scholars and officials bore this surname, including Shu Xinguan (1166-1233), a renowned Confucian scholar and philosopher.

The earliest recorded mention of the SHU surname can be found in the "Zizhi Tongjian," a historical work compiled during the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127 AD). This text includes references to individuals with the SHU surname holding various government positions and participating in important historical events.

In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the SHU surname continued to be associated with scholarly and literary achievements. Shu Yingqiu (1536-1596), a renowned calligrapher and painter, was one of the most famous individuals with this surname during this period.

Another notable figure was Shu Guang (1521-1599), a high-ranking official and scholar who served as the Minister of Rites during the Ming Dynasty. His contributions to the development of the Imperial examination system and the promotion of Confucian values were significant.

During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD), the SHU surname remained prominent, with individuals such as Shu Qingchun (1853-1924), a renowned scholar and educator who played a crucial role in reforming China's education system.

The name SHU has also been associated with several place names in China, such as Shuzhou (formerly known as Shuyang) in Jiangsu Province and Shuangshui County in Hunan Province. These place names may have influenced the spread and distribution of the SHU surname across different regions.

It is worth noting that while the SHU surname has a long and rich history in China, it has also been adopted by individuals in other parts of the world, particularly in East and Southeast Asian communities, due to migration and cultural exchange.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shu

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

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

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

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