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

Suh, 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 Suh surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Suh in America

Suh is the 4961st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Suh surname appeared 7,089 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Suh.

We can also compare 2010 data for Suh 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 Suh

The surname "SUH" is believed to have originated in Korea, with its roots dating back to the early centuries of the Korean peninsula. This name is derived from the archaic Korean word "su" which translates to "water" or "river." It is speculated that individuals who lived near bodies of water or were involved in water-related occupations, such as fishing or boating, may have adopted this surname.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "SUH" can be found in the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, a historical record that spans from 1392 to 1897. These chronicles mention several notable figures bearing this name, including Suh Jong-il, a scholar and diplomat who served during the reign of King Sejong the Great in the 15th century.

During the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), the name "SUH" was also associated with several prominent families who held influential positions in the royal court and bureaucracy. One such example is Suh Sung-nae, a highly respected military commander and strategist who played a crucial role in defending the kingdom against foreign invasions in the late 12th century.

The surname "SUH" has also been linked to various place names across Korea. For instance, the town of Suhcheon in South Jeolla Province is believed to have derived its name from the confluence of two rivers, reflecting the water-related origins of the "SUH" surname.

Throughout history, there have been numerous notable individuals bearing the surname "SUH," including:

1. Suh Kyung-Duk (1912-1944), a Korean independence activist who fought against Japanese colonial rule and was executed for his involvement in the Korean independence movement.

2. Suh Se-ok (1936-1988), a renowned South Korean writer and poet, known for his works that explored the themes of identity, alienation, and the human condition.

3. Suh Sang-mok (1941-2008), a prominent South Korean film director and screenwriter, whose movies often depicted the struggles and resilience of ordinary people in modern Korean society.

4. Suh Hoon (born 1947), a South Korean diplomat and former Director of the National Intelligence Service, who played a crucial role in facilitating the historic inter-Korean summits in 2018.

5. Suh Young-hee (born 1962), a South Korean lawyer and judge, who became the first woman to be appointed as the Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court of Korea in 2022.

As evidenced by these examples, the surname "SUH" has a rich history and has been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions across various fields, including literature, film, politics, and social activism.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Suh

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

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

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

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