2000
#7,891
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,892
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.44
Rare Last name
Tung
A Chinese surname derived from the ancient state of Tung during the Zhou dynasty, or referring to the paulownia tree.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,305 Americans carry the last name Tung. That puts it at #7,000 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.55 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 64,610 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Tung 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Tung with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.3K
1 in 64,610
Census rank
#7,000
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,626 bearers of the surname Tung in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.55 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7000th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Tung, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 90.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.1%) and White (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Tung
The surname TUNG originates from China, with roots dating back thousands of years to ancient Chinese civilizations. It is derived from the Chinese word "tong," which means "east" or "eastern," suggesting that the name may have been initially associated with individuals or communities located in the eastern regions of the country.
One of the earliest known references to the surname TUNG can be found in the Baihu Tongyi, a historical text compiled during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). The text mentions various individuals bearing the TUNG surname, indicating that the name had already gained prominence by that time.
During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the TUNG surname was particularly prevalent in the regions of Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces, where several prominent individuals with this last name made significant contributions to various fields, including literature, philosophy, and government administration.
One notable figure from this era was TUNG Chih-ch'ang (1555-1636), a renowned scholar and philosopher who played a crucial role in reviving the study of Confucian classics during the Ming Dynasty. His works and teachings had a profound impact on the intellectual landscape of his time.
In the 13th century, the TUNG surname gained further recognition with the rise of the TUNG family of merchants and traders. This influential family established a vast trading network spanning across Asia, facilitating the exchange of goods and cultural influences between China and other regions.
Another prominent individual bearing the TUNG surname was TUNG Ch'i-ch'ang (1555-1636), a highly acclaimed painter and calligrapher during the Ming Dynasty. His works are celebrated for their innovative techniques and artistic mastery, and many of his paintings and calligraphic scrolls are preserved in renowned museums and collections worldwide.
During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), the TUNG surname continued to hold significance, with several members of the imperial court and government officials bearing this last name. One such figure was TUNG Hsing (1620-1683), a high-ranking official and scholar who served as the Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi provinces.
Throughout history, the TUNG surname has been associated with various place names and older spellings. For instance, the city of Dongyang in Zhejiang Province was historically known as Tunghsiang, reflecting the prevalence of the TUNG surname in that region.
While the TUNG surname has its roots firmly planted in China's rich history, individuals bearing this last name have contributed to numerous fields and have left their mark on societies around the world, solidifying the enduring legacy of this ancient and respected surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Tung
Among Census respondents with the surname Tung, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 90.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.1%) and White (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Tung 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 Tung surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander90.5% · 4,185
- Two or more races4.1% · 189
- White3.4% · 156
- Hispanic or Latino1.3% · 58
- Black or African American0.8% · 37
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Tung
Tung 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
#7,536
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,411
+519 bearers (+13.3%)
Per 100,000 1.50
Rank movement Up 355 places
2020
#7,000
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,626
+215 bearers (+4.9%)
Per 100,000 1.55
Rank movement Up 536 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,891 | 3,892 | 1.44 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,536 | 4,411 | 1.50 | +519 bearers (+13.3%) | Up 355 places |
| 2020 | #7,000 | 4,626 | 1.55 | +215 bearers (+4.9%) | Up 536 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 Tung 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 | #7,536 | #7,000 | 7.1% |
| Count | 4,411 | 4,626 | 4.9% |
| Per 100K | 1.50 | 1.55 | 3.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Tung bearers went from 4,411 to 4,626 (+4.9% change). The surname moved up 536 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,536 to #7,000.
FAQ
Tung surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Tung?
Name Census estimates that about 5,305 living Americans carry the surname Tung. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 64,610 residents.
How common is Tung?
Tung ranks #7,000 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.55 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,626 people with the surname Tung. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,305), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.55 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.55 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Tung.
Has Tung become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Tung went from 4,411 recorded bearers to 4,626. That is an increase of 215 (+4.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #7,536 to #7,000.
What does the Census say about the background of Tung?
Among Census respondents with the surname Tung, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 90.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.1%) and White (3.4%). 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 Tung in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.5% (4,185 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Tung appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (90.5%), Two or More Races (4.1%), White (3.4%). 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 Tung (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 Tung mean?
A Chinese surname derived from the ancient state of Tung during the Zhou dynasty, or referring to the paulownia tree. 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 Tung (1.55 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 have the surname Tung?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.