2000
#2,153
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 15,463
First available Census row
Per 100,000 5.73
Uncommon Last name
Thao
A Vietnamese surname derived from the Chinese surname Tao, meaning "peach" or "longevity."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 30,581 Americans carry the last name Thao. That puts it at #1,289 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 8.92 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 11,208 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Thao 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.
Bearers in the US
31K
1 in 11,208
Census rank
#1,289
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
8.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
27K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 26,668 bearers of the surname Thao in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 8.92 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1289th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Thao, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 97.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.1%) and White (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Thao
The surname THAO has its origins in Vietnam, specifically in the northern region. It is believed to have originated during the 15th century, a period marked by the rule of the Le Dynasty. THAO is derived from the Vietnamese word "thao," which means "talented" or "skilled," particularly in reference to military prowess or leadership abilities.
In the early days, the THAO surname was commonly associated with individuals who held positions of authority within the military or government ranks. Historical records suggest that the name was initially bestowed upon high-ranking officials and military commanders who displayed exceptional skill and valor on the battlefield.
One of the earliest known references to the THAO surname can be found in the "Quoc Trieu Chinh Bien De Luc," a compilation of historical annals from the Le Dynasty. This text documented the achievements of several individuals bearing the THAO name, including General Thao Nguyen Van, a renowned military leader who played a pivotal role in the defense of the country against foreign invasions in the late 15th century.
As the THAO surname gained recognition and prestige, it began to spread beyond the confines of the northern region, eventually reaching other parts of Vietnam. Over time, variations in spelling and pronunciation emerged, with some records indicating the name as "Thau" or "Thao."
Notable individuals with the THAO surname include:
1. Thao Nguyen Huu Chi (1640-1711), a celebrated poet and philosopher during the Later Le Dynasty.
2. Thao Nguyen Phuc Khoat (1726-1804), a prominent military commander who played a crucial role in the Tay Son Rebellion against the Nguyen Lords.
3. Thao Nguyen Van Vien (1905-1995), a revered military leader and politician who served as the Prime Minister of South Vietnam from 1965 to 1967.
4. Thao Nguyen Xuan Vinh (born 1946), a Vietnamese-American author and scholar, renowned for his works on Vietnamese literature and culture.
5. Thao Nguyen Phan (born 1975), a Vietnamese-American entrepreneur and co-founder of the popular online retailer, Charitybuzz.
While the THAO surname has its roots in Vietnam, it has since spread across the globe, carried by Vietnamese diaspora communities and individuals who have migrated to various parts of the world.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Thao
Among Census respondents with the surname Thao, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 97.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.1%) and White (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Thao 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 Thao surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander97.4% · 25,962
- Two or more races1.1% · 290
- White1.0% · 254
- Hispanic or Latino0.4% · 102
- Black or African American0.2% · 49
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 11
Timeline
Historical Census data for Thao
Thao 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
#1,536
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 23,404
+7,941 bearers (+51.4%)
Per 100,000 7.93
Rank movement Up 617 places
2020
#1,289
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 26,668
+3,264 bearers (+13.9%)
Per 100,000 8.92
Rank movement Up 247 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,153 | 15,463 | 5.73 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #1,536 | 23,404 | 7.93 | +7,941 bearers (+51.4%) | Up 617 places |
| 2020 | #1,289 | 26,668 | 8.92 | +3,264 bearers (+13.9%) | Up 247 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 Thao 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 | #1,536 | #1,289 | 16.1% |
| Count | 23,404 | 26,668 | 13.9% |
| Per 100K | 7.93 | 8.92 | 12.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Thao bearers went from 23,404 to 26,668 (+13.9% change). The surname moved up 247 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,536 to #1,289.
FAQ
Thao surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Thao?
Name Census estimates that about 30,581 living Americans carry the surname Thao. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 11,208 residents.
How common is Thao?
Thao ranks #1,289 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 8.92 per 100,000 residents, which is about 9 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 26,668 people with the surname Thao. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (30,581), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 8.92 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 8.92 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 9 of them to have the surname Thao.
Has Thao become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Thao went from 23,404 recorded bearers to 26,668. That is an increase of 3,264 (+13.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #1,536 to #1,289.
What does the Census say about the background of Thao?
Among Census respondents with the surname Thao, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 97.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.1%) and White (1.0%). 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 Thao in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.4% (25,962 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Thao appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (97.4%), Two or More Races (1.1%), White (1.0%). 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 Thao (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 Thao mean?
A Vietnamese surname derived from the Chinese surname Tao, meaning "peach" or "longevity." 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 Thao (8.92 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 people share the surname Thao?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.