2000
#10,982
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,658
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.99
Rare Last name
Weng
A Chinese surname of uncertain meaning, possibly referring to a place name or a musical instrument.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 8,977 Americans carry the last name Weng. That puts it at #4,384 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.62 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 38,181 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Weng 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 Weng with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
9.0K
1 in 38,181
Census rank
#4,384
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
7.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 7,828 bearers of the surname Weng in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.62 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4384th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Weng, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.7%. The next largest groups are White (4.8%) and Two or More Races (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Weng
The surname "WENG" is believed to have originated in Germany, with its earliest known roots dating back to the 12th century. It is thought to have been derived from the Old German word "wengo," which meant "meadow" or "pasture." The name was likely adopted by families who lived or worked in or near such areas.
Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in medieval German records, such as the "Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae," which includes references to individuals with the surname "Weng" as early as the 13th century. The name also appears in various regional chronicles and parish records throughout Germany during this time period.
One notable figure with the surname "Weng" was Johannes Weng, a German theologian and writer who lived in the 15th century (c. 1420 - 1487). He was a prominent member of the Augustinian order and authored several works on religious philosophy and theology.
In the 16th century, the name "Weng" can be found in records from the town of Weng, located in the region of Swabia in southern Germany. This suggests that the name may have also been derived from or influenced by this place name, which itself likely originated from the Old German word "wengo."
Another individual of note was Hans Weng (c. 1580 - 1649), a German painter and engraver who was active in the early 17th century. He is known for his intricate copper engravings and etchings, many of which depicted religious scenes and portraits.
As the name spread throughout Germany and into neighboring regions, various spellings and variations emerged, such as "Wengh," "Wengk," and "Wenck." One such variation was "Wengert," which was the surname of Johann Wengert (1592 - 1647), a German composer and organist who served at the court of the Elector of Saxony.
In the 18th century, the name appeared in records from the town of Wengern in the region of Westphalia, where families bearing the surname "Weng" or "Wengh" were documented as early as the 1720s. This further reinforces the potential connection between the surname and place names derived from the Old German word "wengo."
Another notable figure with the surname "Weng" was Johann Friedrich Weng (1734 - 1805), a German lawyer and legal scholar who authored several influential works on civil and criminal law during the late 18th century.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Weng
Among Census respondents with the surname Weng, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.7%. The next largest groups are White (4.8%) and Two or More Races (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Weng 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 Weng surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander92.7% · 7,259
- White4.8% · 372
- Two or more races1.0% · 80
- Black or African American0.9% · 67
- Hispanic or Latino0.6% · 50
Timeline
Historical Census data for Weng
Weng 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
#7,145
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,680
+2,022 bearers (+76.1%)
Per 100,000 1.59
Rank movement Up 3,837 places
2020
#4,384
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,828
+3,148 bearers (+67.3%)
Per 100,000 2.62
Rank movement Up 2,761 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,982 | 2,658 | 0.99 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,145 | 4,680 | 1.59 | +2,022 bearers (+76.1%) | Up 3,837 places |
| 2020 | #4,384 | 7,828 | 2.62 | +3,148 bearers (+67.3%) | Up 2,761 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 Weng 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 | #7,145 | #4,384 | 38.6% |
| Count | 4,680 | 7,828 | 67.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.59 | 2.62 | 64.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Weng bearers went from 4,680 to 7,828 (+67.3% change). The surname moved up 2,761 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,145 to #4,384.
FAQ
Weng surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Weng?
Name Census estimates that about 8,977 living Americans carry the surname Weng. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 38,181 residents.
How common is Weng?
Weng ranks #4,384 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.62 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 7,828 people with the surname Weng. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (8,977), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.62 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.62 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Weng.
Has Weng become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Weng went from 4,680 recorded bearers to 7,828. That is an increase of 3,148 (+67.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #7,145 to #4,384.
What does the Census say about the background of Weng?
Among Census respondents with the surname Weng, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.7%. The next largest groups are White (4.8%) and Two or More Races (1.0%). 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 Weng in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.7% (7,259 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Weng appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (92.7%), White (4.8%), Two or More Races (1.0%). 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 Weng (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 Weng mean?
A Chinese surname of uncertain meaning, possibly referring to a place name or a musical instrument. 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 Weng (2.62 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 common is the surname Weng?
If you just want to know how many people have the surname Weng, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.