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

Tsao, 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 Tsao surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tsao in America

Tsao is the 12397th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tsao surname appeared 2,508 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Tsao.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tsao 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 Tsao

The surname Tsao originates from China, with its roots dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is believed to have derived from the Chinese word "曹," which was a common surname during that period. The name is particularly prevalent in the eastern coastal regions of China, such as Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces.

In ancient Chinese literature, the earliest recorded mention of the surname Tsao can be found in the "Book of Tang," a historical record of the Tang Dynasty. This work documents several prominent figures bearing the Tsao surname, including Tsao Xingda, a renowned scholar and calligrapher who lived during the 8th century.

One of the earliest and most notable individuals with the surname Tsao was Tsao Chun (920-976 AD), a renowned military strategist and general during the Song Dynasty. He played a crucial role in defending the Song Empire against the northern nomadic tribes and is celebrated for his tactical brilliance.

During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the Tsao family rose to prominence, with several members holding influential positions in the imperial court. One such figure was Tsao Zongyi (1566-1642), a highly respected scholar and philosopher who served as a minister under the Chongzhen Emperor.

In the realm of literature, Tsao Xueqin (1715-1763) stands out as a notable figure. He is best known for authoring the celebrated novel "The Dream of the Red Chamber," a masterpiece that provides a vivid portrayal of 18th-century Chinese society and culture.

Another prominent individual bearing the Tsao surname was Tsao Kun (1863-1924), a influential warlord and military leader during the turbulent years following the fall of the Qing Dynasty. He played a significant role in the power struggles that shaped the early years of the Republic of China.

Throughout history, the Tsao surname has also been associated with various place names and locations across China. For instance, the city of Tsaozhou (now known as Hengshui) in Hebei Province was named after the Tsao family, who once held significant influence in the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tsao

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

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

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

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