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

Soong, 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 Soong surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Soong in America

Soong is the 27204th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Soong surname appeared 889 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 Soong.

We can also compare 2010 data for Soong 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 Soong

The surname SOONG has its origins in China, specifically in the coastal province of Guangdong. It traces back to the 16th century AD and is derived from the Cantonese pronunciation of the Chinese characters 宋, which can be romanized as "Sung" or "Song". This surname is associated with the prestigious Song Dynasty that ruled China from 960 to 1279 AD.

The earliest recorded instances of the SOONG surname can be found in genealogical records and local gazetteers from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD). These records often mention individuals with this surname living in various districts and towns across Guangdong, such as Xiangshan, Panyu, and Shunde.

One notable figure in Chinese history bearing the SOONG surname was Soong Ching-ling (1892-1981), also known as Madame Sun Yat-sen. She was the wife of the renowned revolutionary leader Sun Yat-sen and played a significant role in the Chinese Communist Party's women's movement.

Another prominent individual was Soong Mei-ling (1898-2003), better known as Madame Chiang Kai-shek. She was the wife of Chiang Kai-shek, the leader of the Nationalist government in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War.

In the realm of literature, Soong Tse-ven (1894-1988) was a well-known Chinese poet and essayist who contributed significantly to the modern Chinese literary canon. He is particularly renowned for his works reflecting on the human condition and philosophical musings.

Soong Sing Chan (1919-2010) was a notable businessman and philanthropist born in Hong Kong. He founded the Hong Kong-based Everbright Group, a diversified conglomerate with interests in banking, real estate, and other industries.

Another individual of note was Soong Ching Fah (1912-1972), a Chinese-American engineer and inventor. He is credited with developing several groundbreaking technologies, including the first commercially successful color television system and an early version of the fiber-optic cable.

While the SOONG surname has its roots in China, it has since spread globally due to immigration and diaspora communities. However, its origins can be traced back to the coastal regions of Guangdong province, where it held significance during the imperial dynastic periods of Chinese history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Soong

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

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

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

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