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

Shui, 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 Shui surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shui in America

Shui is the 78316th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shui surname appeared 244 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 Shui.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shui 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 Shui

The surname SHUI has its origins in China, believed to have emerged during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is derived from the Chinese word "shui," which means "water" in English. This name was likely given to families who lived near bodies of water or worked in occupations related to water, such as fishing or irrigation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the SHUI surname can be found in the imperial records of the Tang Dynasty, where a person named SHUI Zhen served as a court official in the 8th century. Another notable figure was SHUI Ying, a renowned poet and calligrapher from the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), who was known for his works celebrating the beauty of nature and water.

In the 13th century, the SHUI surname appeared in the "Yuan Shi," a historical text documenting the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368 AD). Here, a person named SHUI Zhongxuan was mentioned as a high-ranking military officer who played a crucial role in the conquest of the Southern Song Dynasty.

During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the SHUI surname was particularly prevalent in the region around the city of Suzhou, which was renowned for its intricate canal system and stunning gardens. One notable figure from this era was SHUI Yinglian, a renowned landscaper and architect who designed some of the most beautiful gardens in Suzhou.

In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD), the SHUI surname was also found in other parts of China, such as the provinces of Shandong and Hebei. A famous person bearing this name was SHUI Lingsi, a scholar and poet who lived in the 18th century and was celebrated for his works on Confucianism and classical Chinese literature.

Throughout history, the SHUI surname has been associated with various place names and older spellings. For example, in the Guangdong region, the name was sometimes written as "Shuai," while in the Fujian province, it was commonly spelled as "Shuy."

These are just a few examples of the rich history and significance of the surname SHUI in Chinese culture and society. From court officials and military leaders to poets and architects, this name has been carried by many influential figures throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shui

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

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

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

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