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

Tang, 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 Tang surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tang in America

Tang is the 999th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tang surname appeared 34,961 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 12 people would have the surname Tang.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tang 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 Tang

The surname Tang has its origins in China, where it is believed to have emerged during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) as a reference to the ruling imperial family. The name is derived from the Chinese word "tang," which means "prosperous" or "flourishing."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Tang surname can be found in the historic text "The Book of Tang," a chronology of the Tang Dynasty. This work, compiled in the 10th century, mentions several prominent individuals with the Tang surname who held positions of power and influence during this era.

During the Tang Dynasty, the Tang surname was closely associated with the imperial court and the ruling class. It is believed that many individuals adopted the surname as a way to associate themselves with the prestige and power of the imperial family.

In the centuries following the Tang Dynasty, the Tang surname continued to be prevalent in various regions of China. It is particularly common in the provinces of Guangdong, Fujian, and Zhejiang, where it has a long and rich history.

One notable individual with the Tang surname was Tang Yin (1470-1524), a renowned Ming Dynasty painter and calligrapher. His works are highly regarded in the annals of Chinese art and are preserved in various museums and collections around the world.

Another prominent figure was Tang Xianzu (1550-1616), a celebrated playwright and poet of the Ming Dynasty. He is best known for his masterpiece "The Peony Pavilion," which is considered one of the greatest works of Chinese literature.

In the 19th century, Tang Ying (1823-1857) was a prominent Qing Dynasty scholar and poet. His literary works and contributions to the field of education earned him widespread recognition and respect.

The Tang surname can also be found in historical records from other parts of Asia, such as Vietnam and Korea, where it is believed to have been introduced through trade and cultural exchange with China.

Throughout history, the Tang surname has been associated with various place names and locations in China, such as Tangshan, a city in Hebei province, and Tangxi, a town in Zhejiang province. These place names often reflect the presence of individuals or families with the Tang surname in these regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tang

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

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

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

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