2000
#11,138
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,613
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.97
Rare Last name
Trieu
A Vietnamese surname derived from the Chinese surname Zhao, meaning "to recruit" or "to summon."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,348 Americans carry the last name Trieu. That puts it at #8,357 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.27 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 78,830 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Trieu 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
4.3K
1 in 78,830
Census rank
#8,357
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,792 bearers of the surname Trieu in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.27 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8357th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Trieu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.3%) and White (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Trieu
The surname Trieu is believed to have originated in Vietnam, with its roots dating back to the ancient kingdom of Champa, which flourished between the 7th and 19th centuries. The name is derived from the Vietnamese word "Triệu," which means "dynasty" or "imperial." This suggests that the surname may have been initially bestowed upon individuals with ties to the ruling class or royal lineage.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Trieu can be found in the annals of the Champa Kingdom, where it was associated with several prominent figures from the ruling dynasties. For instance, the legendary King Trieu Dat, who ruled Champa in the 5th century, is often mentioned in historical texts as a formidable leader and warrior.
As the Champa Kingdom expanded its influence across modern-day Central and Southern Vietnam, the name Trieu likely spread to other regions. Notably, the city of Trieu Khuc, located in the present-day Quang Ngai Province, bears a striking resemblance to the surname, indicating a possible connection to a historical place name or settlement.
In the later centuries, the Trieu surname gained prominence during the Ly and Tran dynasties, which ruled Vietnam from the 11th to the 14th centuries. Several notable figures bearing the name Trieu emerged during this period, including Trieu Van Tac (1186-1258), a revered Confucian scholar and statesman who served as a royal tutor and advisor to several emperors.
Another prominent figure was Trieu Tung Lo (1230-1291), a celebrated military strategist and general who played a crucial role in defending Vietnam against the Mongol invasions in the late 13th century. His valor and leadership skills earned him a place in the annals of Vietnamese history as a national hero.
The surname Trieu also gained recognition in the realm of literature and poetry. Trieu Nu Nguyet Nga (1311-1390), a renowned poetess and scholar from the Tran Dynasty, is widely celebrated for her contributions to Vietnamese literary and cultural heritage.
In more recent times, the Trieu surname has continued to be associated with notable individuals. Trieu Thi Trinh (1842-1886), a revered female warrior and leader of the resistance against French colonialism in the late 19th century, is remembered as a symbol of Vietnamese patriotism and resilience.
It is worth noting that while the surname Trieu has its roots in Vietnam, it has also gained recognition in other parts of the world, particularly among the Vietnamese diaspora communities. However, the historical origins and significance of the name remain deeply rooted in the rich cultural tapestry of Vietnam.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Trieu
Among Census respondents with the surname Trieu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.3%) and White (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Trieu 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 Trieu surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander94.4% · 3,580
- Two or more races2.3% · 86
- White1.7% · 66
- Hispanic or Latino1.4% · 52
- Black or African American0.2% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Trieu
Trieu 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
#9,426
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,451
+838 bearers (+32.1%)
Per 100,000 1.17
Rank movement Up 1,712 places
2020
#8,357
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,792
+341 bearers (+9.9%)
Per 100,000 1.27
Rank movement Up 1,069 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,138 | 2,613 | 0.97 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,426 | 3,451 | 1.17 | +838 bearers (+32.1%) | Up 1,712 places |
| 2020 | #8,357 | 3,792 | 1.27 | +341 bearers (+9.9%) | Up 1,069 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 Trieu 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 | #9,426 | #8,357 | 11.3% |
| Count | 3,451 | 3,792 | 9.9% |
| Per 100K | 1.17 | 1.27 | 8.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Trieu bearers went from 3,451 to 3,792 (+9.9% change). The surname moved up 1,069 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,426 to #8,357.
FAQ
Trieu surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Trieu?
Name Census estimates that about 4,348 living Americans carry the surname Trieu. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 78,830 residents.
How common is Trieu?
Trieu ranks #8,357 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.27 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,792 people with the surname Trieu. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,348), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.27 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.27 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Trieu.
Has Trieu become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Trieu went from 3,451 recorded bearers to 3,792. That is an increase of 341 (+9.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #9,426 to #8,357.
What does the Census say about the background of Trieu?
Among Census respondents with the surname Trieu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.3%) and White (1.7%). 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 Trieu in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.4% (3,580 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Trieu appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (94.4%), Two or More Races (2.3%), White (1.7%). 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 Trieu (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 Trieu mean?
A Vietnamese surname derived from the Chinese surname Zhao, meaning "to recruit" or "to summon." 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 Trieu (1.27 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 are called Trieu?
You can see how many Americans have the surname Trieu on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.