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

Tran, 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 Tran surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tran in America

Tran is the 132nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tran surname appeared 188,498 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 64 people would have the surname Tran.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tran 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 Tran

The surname Tran originated from Vietnam, with the earliest recorded examples dating back to the 15th century during the Ming Dynasty. It is believed to be derived from the Sino-Vietnamese word "Tran," meaning "bamboo curtain" or "bamboo screen."

Tran is a common Vietnamese surname, particularly in the northern regions of the country. In ancient times, it was often associated with royalty and nobility, as many members of the ruling Tran Dynasty (1225–1400) bore this surname.

One of the earliest documented instances of the name Tran can be found in the Annals of Dai Viet, a historical text compiled during the Tran Dynasty. This work chronicles the reign of the Tran emperors and the battles they fought against the Mongol invasions of the 13th century.

During the Tran Dynasty, notable figures with this surname included Emperor Tran Nhan Tong (1258–1308), a renowned Buddhist scholar and military strategist, and Prince Tran Quoc Tuan (1291–1370), a prominent military commander who led the Vietnamese forces against the Mongol invasions.

In the 16th century, the Tran surname was also associated with the village of Tran Phu, located in the northern province of Hai Duong. This village was known for its skilled artisans and craftsmen, many of whom bore the Tran surname.

Another historical figure of note was Tran Hung Dao (1230–1300), a revered military leader and strategist who played a crucial role in the Vietnamese victory over the Mongol invasions. His brilliant tactics and leadership are celebrated in Vietnamese folklore and literature.

Tran Van Quang (1859–1935) was a prominent Vietnamese scholar and linguist who made significant contributions to the study of the Vietnamese language and its romanization.

Throughout history, the Tran surname has been carried by many notable individuals, including writers, scholars, artists, and political leaders. Despite its long and rich history, the name remains strongly associated with its Vietnamese origins and cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tran

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

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

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

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