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

Tao, 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 Tao surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tao in America

Tao is the 7747th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tao surname appeared 4,286 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Tao.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tao 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 Tao

The surname "Tao" is of Chinese origin, tracing its roots back to ancient times. This name is derived from the Chinese word "dao," which means "path" or "way" in Mandarin Chinese. The Tao surname is most commonly found in southern China, particularly in the provinces of Guangdong and Fujian.

In ancient Chinese philosophy, the concept of Tao refers to the natural order of the universe, the way of nature, and the path of harmony and balance. The Tao surname likely originated from individuals or families who embraced or followed the principles of Taoism, a philosophical and religious tradition that emphasizes living in accordance with the Tao.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Tao surname can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE), where it appeared in historical records and literature from that era. During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE), the Tao surname gained prominence, with several notable figures bearing this name.

Among the most famous individuals with the Tao surname was Tao Qian (365-427 CE), a renowned Chinese poet and calligrapher of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. His works, known for their simplicity and celebration of nature, have been widely acclaimed and studied throughout Chinese literary history.

Another notable figure was Tao Gu (903-970 CE), a revered Buddhist monk and scholar during the Song Dynasty. He is renowned for his contributions to the development of Chan (Zen) Buddhism and his influential writings on Buddhist philosophy.

During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 CE), the Tao surname was associated with the town of Tao'an, located in present-day Jiangxi Province. This place name, which translates to "peace and tranquility," may have influenced the adoption of the Tao surname by families residing in that area.

In more recent history, Tao Xingzhi (1891-1946) was a prominent Chinese educator and philosopher who advocated for progressive education methods and played a significant role in the modernization of China's educational system.

Lastly, Tao Yuanming (365-427 CE), often referred to as Tao Qian, was a highly influential Chinese poet and philosopher of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. His works, which celebrated the simple life and harmony with nature, have been cherished for centuries and have had a lasting impact on Chinese literature and thought.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tao

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

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

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

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