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

Sunwoo, 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 Sunwoo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sunwoo in America

Sunwoo is the 74608th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sunwoo surname appeared 259 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 Sunwoo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sunwoo 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 Sunwoo

The surname Sunwoo has its origins in Korea, where it can be traced back to the late Goryeo dynasty (918–1392) and early Joseon dynasty (1392–1897). It is derived from the Korean words "sun," meaning "good," and "woo," meaning "house" or "residence." The name likely referred to someone who lived in a respected or distinguished household.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Sunwoo name appears in the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, a historical record compiled during the reign of King Sejong the Great (r. 1418–1450). The text mentions a court official named Sunwoo Gi-yeong (1384–1456), who served as a military strategist and diplomat.

During the Joseon period, the Sunwoo surname was particularly prevalent in the Gyeongsang and Jeolla provinces of southern Korea. Several notable figures bore this name, including Sunwoo Han (1551–1636), a renowned Neo-Confucian scholar and writer, and Sunwoo Yeong (1617–1690), a prominent calligrapher and painter.

In the 18th century, Sunwoo Hyeon (1702–1761) gained recognition as a skilled architect and urban planner, responsible for designing numerous government buildings and city layouts. His contributions were widely celebrated during his lifetime and have left a lasting legacy in Korean architecture.

Another notable Sunwoo was Sunwoo Jeon (1824–1888), a respected military leader and strategist who played a crucial role in the defense of Korea during the French Campaign against Korea in 1866 and the Sino-French War of 1884–1885.

While the Sunwoo surname originated in Korea, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including China, Japan, and various Western countries, due to migration and cultural exchange. However, its historical roots and significance remain deeply rooted in Korean culture and history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sunwoo

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

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

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

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