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

Tong, 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 Tong surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tong in America

Tong is the 2730th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tong surname appeared 13,196 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Tong.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tong 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 Tong

The surname Tong is believed to have originated in China, with references dating back to the 3rd century BCE. It is derived from the Chinese word "tóng" which means "copper" or "bronze." This suggests that the name may have been associated with those involved in metalworking or the production of bronze items.

In ancient Chinese records, the name Tong can be found in various historical texts and manuscripts. One notable mention is in the "Book of Han," a classical Chinese historical text from the 1st century BCE, which records the names of individuals with the surname Tong who held official positions during the Han Dynasty.

The earliest recorded use of the surname Tong can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE). During this period, the name appeared in various official records and documents, indicating its widespread use among the Chinese population.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Tong was Tong Guan (589-648 CE), a prominent Chinese poet and writer during the Tang Dynasty. Another notable figure was Tong Xuan (1593-1636 CE), a renowned Chinese philosopher and scholar during the Ming Dynasty.

In later periods, the surname Tong spread to other parts of Asia, including Vietnam and Korea. In Vietnam, the name is spelled as "Đồng," while in Korea, it is transcribed as "Tong" or "Dong."

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Tong:

1. Tong Dizhou (1628-1684 CE), a Chinese mathematician and astronomer during the Qing Dynasty.
2. Tong Ling (1666-1723 CE), a Chinese novelist and playwright known for his work "The Romance of the Pie and Pastry Case."
3. Tong King (1912-1998), a prominent Chinese-American architect and urban planner.
4. Tong Enzheng (1935-1997), a Chinese novelist and poet, best known for his work "The Autobiography of a Book."
5. Tong Cungui (1592-1636 CE), a Chinese painter and calligrapher during the Ming Dynasty.

While the surname Tong has its roots in ancient China, it has since spread across the globe, with individuals bearing this name found in various countries and cultures.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tong

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

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

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

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