2000
#1,962
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 16,856
First available Census row
Per 100,000 6.25
Uncommon Last name
Song
A surname of Chinese origin meaning "pine tree," or referring to someone who lived near pine trees.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 35,843 Americans carry the last name Song. That puts it at #1,105 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 10.46 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 9,563 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Song surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Song with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
36K
1 in 9,563
Census rank
#1,105
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
10.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
31K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 31,257 bearers of the surname Song in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 10.46 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1105th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Song, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 93.8%. The next largest groups are White (2.9%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Song
The surname "SONG" is believed to have originated in China during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is derived from the Chinese word "宋" (Sòng), which was the name of the ruling imperial family during the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD). The name was initially associated with the imperial clan and its descendants, but later became a widespread surname adopted by various families and individuals.
The Song Dynasty was a significant period in Chinese history, renowned for its economic prosperity, cultural achievements, and technological advancements. During this time, the use of surnames became more widespread, and the "SONG" surname gained prominence as a symbol of prestige and association with the imperial family.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the "SONG" surname can be found in the "Song Huiyao" (宋會要), a comprehensive collection of official documents and records from the Song Dynasty. This work contains numerous references to individuals bearing the "SONG" surname, indicating its prevalence during that era.
In the subsequent centuries, the "SONG" surname spread across various regions of China, and its spelling and pronunciation evolved slightly in different areas. For example, in some regions, it was written as "宋" or "松," while in others, it was pronounced as "Sòng" or "Shùn."
Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the "SONG" surname, including:
1. Song Qiqiu (宋齊鳩, 998-1061), a prominent Neo-Confucian philosopher and scholar during the Song Dynasty.
2. Song Lian (宋濂, 1310-1381), a renowned historian and calligrapher of the Yuan Dynasty.
3. Song Yingxing (宋應星, 1587-1666), a renowned scientist and inventor who made significant contributions to agricultural technology and hydraulic engineering during the Ming Dynasty.
4. Song Meiling (宋美齡, 1897-2003), the wife of Chiang Kai-shek, the former President of the Republic of China, and a prominent figure in Chinese politics and diplomacy.
5. Song Jingshi (宋經世, 1882-1965), a renowned geologist and paleontologist who made significant contributions to the study of prehistoric life in China.
The "SONG" surname has a rich history deeply rooted in Chinese culture and Imperial dynasties, with numerous individuals bearing this name leaving their mark across various fields, from philosophy and literature to science and politics.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Song
Among Census respondents with the surname Song, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 93.8%. The next largest groups are White (2.9%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Song bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Song surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander93.8% · 29,313
- White2.9% · 892
- Two or more races2.0% · 616
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 249
- Black or African American0.6% · 182
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Song
Song appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#1,415
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 25,110
+8,254 bearers (+49.0%)
Per 100,000 8.51
Rank movement Up 547 places
2020
#1,105
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 31,257
+6,147 bearers (+24.5%)
Per 100,000 10.46
Rank movement Up 310 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #1,962 | 16,856 | 6.25 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #1,415 | 25,110 | 8.51 | +8,254 bearers (+49.0%) | Up 547 places |
| 2020 | #1,105 | 31,257 | 10.46 | +6,147 bearers (+24.5%) | Up 310 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Song surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,415 | #1,105 | 21.9% |
| Count | 25,110 | 31,257 | 24.5% |
| Per 100K | 8.51 | 10.46 | 22.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Song bearers went from 25,110 to 31,257 (+24.5% change). The surname moved up 310 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,415 to #1,105.
FAQ
Song surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Song?
Name Census estimates that about 35,843 living Americans carry the surname Song. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 9,563 residents.
How common is Song?
Song ranks #1,105 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 10.46 per 100,000 residents, which is about 10 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 31,257 people with the surname Song. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (35,843), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 10.46 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 10.46 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 10 of them to have the surname Song.
Has Song become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Song went from 25,110 recorded bearers to 31,257. That is an increase of 6,147 (+24.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #1,415 to #1,105.
What does the Census say about the background of Song?
Among Census respondents with the surname Song, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 93.8%. The next largest groups are White (2.9%) and Two or More Races (2.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Song in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.8% (29,313 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Song appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (93.8%), White (2.9%), Two or More Races (2.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Song (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Song mean?
A surname of Chinese origin meaning "pine tree," or referring to someone who lived near pine trees. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Song (10.46 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Song?
See how common the surname Song is on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.