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

Siao, 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 Siao surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Siao in America

Siao is the 64054th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Siao surname appeared 311 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 Siao.

We can also compare 2010 data for Siao 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 Siao

The surname SIAO originates from China, with its earliest known records dating back to the 15th century during the Ming Dynasty. It is believed to have derived from the Hokkien or Fuzhounese Chinese dialects, where "siao" was a term used to describe a small or petite person.

One of the earliest documented references to the SIAO surname can be found in the "Xingzhi" (family records) of the Guangdong province, which recorded the lineage and migration patterns of various clans. These records suggest that the SIAO family originated in the coastal regions of Fujian and Guangdong, where they were predominantly involved in maritime trade and fishing industries.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, as Chinese immigration to Southeast Asia increased, many individuals bearing the SIAO surname settled in regions such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Historical documents from this period, including Dutch East India Company records, mention several SIAO families residing in these areas.

One notable figure from this time was SIAO Mu-an (1552-1628), a scholar and poet from Fujian who achieved recognition for his literary works and contributions to the development of the Fuzhounese dialect.

In the 18th century, the SIAO surname gained prominence in the Chinese diaspora communities of Europe and the Americas. For instance, SIAO Kin-fung (1720-1795), a merchant from Guangdong, established a successful trading company in Amsterdam, facilitating the exchange of goods between Europe and China.

As Chinese immigration to the United States increased during the 19th century, the SIAO surname became more prevalent in regions like California and Hawaii. One prominent individual was SIAO Ling-chi (1835-1904), a businessman and community leader who played a significant role in the development of San Francisco's Chinatown.

Another notable figure was SIAO Feng-lin (1890-1962), a renowned artist and calligrapher from Guangdong who gained international recognition for his traditional Chinese paintings and calligraphic works.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Siao

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

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

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

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