2000
#37,480
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 559
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.21
Rare Last name
Sui
A Chinese surname meaning "wise" or "introspective".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,056 Americans carry the last name Sui. That puts it at #15,680 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.60 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 166,709 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sui 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.
Bearers in the US
2.1K
1 in 166,709
Census rank
#15,680
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,793 bearers of the surname Sui in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.60 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15680th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sui, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.4%. The next largest groups are White (1.8%) and Two or More Races (1.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sui
The surname "SUI" is believed to have originated in China, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 3rd century AD during the Three Kingdoms period. It is thought to be derived from the Chinese word "sui," meaning "to follow" or "to comply with," potentially indicating that the name was initially given to someone who was known for their obedience or loyalty.
One of the earliest known references to the surname "SUI" can be found in the historical text "Records of the Three Kingdoms," which documents the life and achievements of the warlord Sui Jing, who lived from around 210 to 263 AD. Sui Jing played a significant role in the establishment of the Cao Wei state during the Three Kingdoms period.
Another notable figure bearing the surname "SUI" was Sui Wendi, also known as Yang Jian, who was the founder of the Sui Dynasty in China. He reigned from 581 to 604 AD and is credited with reuniting the country after centuries of division, paving the way for the prosperous Tang Dynasty that followed.
During the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), the surname "SUI" gained further prominence, with several individuals making significant contributions to various fields. One such example is Sui Yangdi, who reigned as the second and final emperor of the Sui Dynasty from 604 to 618 AD.
In the realm of literature, Sui Shusen, a Chinese poet and calligrapher, left a lasting impact during the 11th century. His poems and calligraphic works were highly acclaimed and are still studied and appreciated today.
Moving forward in history, the surname "SUI" can also be found in the records of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), with notable figures like Sui Shi, a renowned scholar and author who lived during the 16th century.
While the surname "SUI" is predominantly associated with China, it has also been adopted by individuals in other parts of the world, particularly in regions with significant Chinese diaspora communities. However, the core historical significance and roots of the name can be traced back to its Chinese origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sui
Among Census respondents with the surname Sui, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.4%. The next largest groups are White (1.8%) and Two or More Races (1.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Sui 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 Sui surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander95.4% · 1,711
- White1.8% · 33
- Two or more races1.5% · 26
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 16
- Black or African American0.4% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sui
Sui 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
#27,411
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 880
+321 bearers (+57.4%)
Per 100,000 0.30
Rank movement Up 10,069 places
2020
#15,680
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,793
+913 bearers (+103.8%)
Per 100,000 0.60
Rank movement Up 11,731 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #37,480 | 559 | 0.21 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #27,411 | 880 | 0.30 | +321 bearers (+57.4%) | Up 10,069 places |
| 2020 | #15,680 | 1,793 | 0.60 | +913 bearers (+103.8%) | Up 11,731 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 Sui 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 | #27,411 | #15,680 | 42.8% |
| Count | 880 | 1,793 | 103.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.30 | 0.60 | 100.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sui bearers went from 880 to 1,793 (+103.8% change). The surname moved up 11,731 positions in the national ranking, going from #27,411 to #15,680.
FAQ
Sui surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sui?
Name Census estimates that about 2,056 living Americans carry the surname Sui. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 166,709 residents.
How common is Sui?
Sui ranks #15,680 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.60 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,793 people with the surname Sui. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,056), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.6 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.60 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Sui.
Has Sui become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sui went from 880 recorded bearers to 1,793. That is an increase of 913 (+103.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #27,411 to #15,680.
What does the Census say about the background of Sui?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sui, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.4%. The next largest groups are White (1.8%) and Two or More Races (1.5%). 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 Sui in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.4% (1,711 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sui appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (95.4%), White (1.8%), Two or More Races (1.5%). 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 Sui (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 Sui mean?
A Chinese surname meaning "wise" or "introspective". 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 Sui (0.60 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 many people have the last name Sui?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Sui on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.