2000
#10,031
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,964
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.10
Rare Last name
Tao
A Chinese surname derived from the state of Tao in ancient China or referring to the philosophical concept of Tao.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,904 Americans carry the last name Tao. That puts it at #5,574 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.01 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 49,646 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Tao 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Tao with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
6.9K
1 in 49,646
Census rank
#5,574
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,021 bearers of the surname Tao in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.01 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5574th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Tao, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.2%. The next largest groups are White (4.0%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Tao
Among Census respondents with the surname Tao, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.2%. The next largest groups are White (4.0%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Tao 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 Tao surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander92.2% · 5,551
- White4.0% · 242
- Two or more races2.5% · 151
- Hispanic or Latino0.6% · 39
- Black or African American0.6% · 35
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Tao
Tao 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
#7,747
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,286
+1,322 bearers (+44.6%)
Per 100,000 1.45
Rank movement Up 2,284 places
2020
#5,574
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,021
+1,735 bearers (+40.5%)
Per 100,000 2.01
Rank movement Up 2,173 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,031 | 2,964 | 1.10 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,747 | 4,286 | 1.45 | +1,322 bearers (+44.6%) | Up 2,284 places |
| 2020 | #5,574 | 6,021 | 2.01 | +1,735 bearers (+40.5%) | Up 2,173 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 Tao 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 | #7,747 | #5,574 | 28.0% |
| Count | 4,286 | 6,021 | 40.5% |
| Per 100K | 1.45 | 2.01 | 38.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Tao bearers went from 4,286 to 6,021 (+40.5% change). The surname moved up 2,173 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,747 to #5,574.
FAQ
Tao surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Tao?
Name Census estimates that about 6,904 living Americans carry the surname Tao. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 49,646 residents.
How common is Tao?
Tao ranks #5,574 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.01 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 6,021 people with the surname Tao. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (6,904), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.01 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.01 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Tao.
Has Tao become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Tao went from 4,286 recorded bearers to 6,021. That is an increase of 1,735 (+40.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #7,747 to #5,574.
What does the Census say about the background of Tao?
Among Census respondents with the surname Tao, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.2%. The next largest groups are White (4.0%) and Two or More Races (2.5%). 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 Tao in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.2% (5,551 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Tao appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (92.2%), White (4.0%), Two or More Races (2.5%). 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 Tao (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 Tao mean?
A Chinese surname derived from the state of Tao in ancient China or referring to the philosophical concept of Tao. 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 Tao (2.01 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 Americans have the surname Tao?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.