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

Teoh, 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 Teoh surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Teoh in America

Teoh is the 51176th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Teoh surname appeared 407 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 Teoh.

We can also compare 2010 data for Teoh 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 Teoh

The surname TEOH is of Chinese origin, originating from the Cantonese and Hokkien dialects. It is believed to have emerged sometime around the 14th century in the southern regions of China, particularly in the provinces of Guangdong and Fujian.

The name TEOH is derived from the Chinese characters 张 (Zhang) or 张 (Teo), which are common transliterations of the same Chinese surname. These characters carry the meaning of "to extend" or "to spread out," potentially indicating an association with occupations related to agriculture or land cultivation.

One of the earliest known references to the surname TEOH can be found in ancient Chinese genealogical records and local gazetteers from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). These documents often recorded family histories and the migrations of different clans across various regions of China.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many individuals bearing the TEOH surname immigrated to various parts of Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia and Singapore, seeking economic opportunities and better living conditions. This migration contributed to the establishment of significant TEOH communities in these regions.

Notable individuals with the surname TEOH include:

1. Teoh Beng Hock (1979-2009), a Malaysian political aide whose controversial death sparked nationwide protests and calls for reform in Malaysia.
2. Teoh Chee Onn (1940-2020), a prominent Malaysian businessman and philanthropist who founded the Kinta Textile Group.
3. Teoh Chye Hin (1925-2007), a respected Malaysian politician and former Minister of Home Affairs.
4. Teoh Chye Wah (born 1975), a Malaysian professional golfer who has won several tournaments on the Asian Tour.
5. Teoh Joo Beng (born 1946), a renowned Malaysian architect and urban planner known for his contributions to sustainable design.

It is worth noting that the surname TEOH has also been documented in various historical records and documents across Southeast Asia, reflecting the migration patterns and cultural influences of the Chinese diaspora in the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Teoh

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

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

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

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