2000
#277
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 99,392
First available Census row
Per 100,000 36.84
Common Last name
Wong
A Chinese occupational surname referring to someone who does business or is a merchant or seller.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128,504 Americans carry the last name Wong. That puts it at #271 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 37.49 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,667 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wong 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 Wong with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
129K
1 in 2,667
Census rank
#271
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
37.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112K
common in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112,062 bearers of the surname Wong in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 37.49 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 271st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wong, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 84.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.0%) and Hispanic (4.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wong
The surname Wong has its origins in China, where it can be traced back to the 6th century. It is derived from the Cantonese word "wong," which means "king" or "yellow." The name was initially used to denote a person's status or physical appearance.
In ancient Chinese records, the name Wong appears in various forms, such as Huang, Hwang, and Wung. These variations were due to the different dialects and regional pronunciations across China. The name was particularly prevalent in the southern provinces of Guangdong and Fujian.
One of the earliest documented instances of the name Wong can be found in the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) records. During this period, a scholar named Wong Xuan (685-762 AD) gained recognition for his contributions to Confucian philosophy and literature.
As the Chinese empire expanded and trade routes developed, the Wong surname spread to other parts of Asia. In the 15th century, a prominent figure named Wong Hung (1441-1499) became a successful merchant and established trade connections between China and Southeast Asia.
During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the name Wong was also associated with several notable military leaders. Wong Cheng (1522-1590) was a renowned general who played a crucial role in suppressing rebellions and defending the empire's borders.
As Chinese immigration increased in the 19th and 20th centuries, the Wong surname became more widespread globally. One of the earliest recorded Wongs in the United States was Wong Aloy (1829-1904), a merchant who settled in San Francisco and helped establish the first Chinese community in the city.
In modern times, the Wong surname has been associated with various influential figures across different fields. Some notable examples include:
1. Wong Kar-wai (born 1958), a renowned Hong Kong film director known for his visually stunning films like "In the Mood for Love" and "Chungking Express."
2. Wong Shun Leung (1936-1997), a famous Hong Kong martial artist and actor who starred in numerous kung fu movies.
3. Wong Jing (born 1958), a prolific Hong Kong film producer, director, and screenwriter known for his comedic and action films.
4. Wong Fei Hung (1847-1924), a famous Chinese martial artist and physician who became a folk hero and inspired numerous films and TV series.
5. Wong Kim Ark (1873-1925), a Chinese-American cook whose legal case, United States v. Wong Kim Ark, established the principle of birthright citizenship in the United States.
While the surname Wong has its roots in China, it has now become a global name, representing the rich cultural heritage and contributions of individuals from diverse backgrounds.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wong
Among Census respondents with the surname Wong, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 84.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.0%) and Hispanic (4.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Wong 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 Wong surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander84.7% · 94,888
- Two or more races6.0% · 6,718
- Hispanic or Latino4.5% · 5,050
- White3.9% · 4,318
- Black or African American0.9% · 1,048
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 40
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wong
Wong 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
#274
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111,371
+11,979 bearers (+12.1%)
Per 100,000 37.76
Rank movement Up 3 places
2020
#271
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112,062
+691 bearers (+0.6%)
Per 100,000 37.49
Rank movement Up 3 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #277 | 99,392 | 36.84 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #274 | 111,371 | 37.76 | +11,979 bearers (+12.1%) | Up 3 places |
| 2020 | #271 | 112,062 | 37.49 | +691 bearers (+0.6%) | Up 3 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 Wong 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 | #274 | #271 | 1.1% |
| Count | 111,371 | 112,062 | 0.6% |
| Per 100K | 37.76 | 37.49 | -0.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wong bearers went from 111,371 to 112,062 (+0.6% change). The surname moved up 3 positions in the national ranking, going from #274 to #271.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Wong
FAQ
Wong surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wong?
Name Census estimates that about 128,504 living Americans carry the surname Wong. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,667 residents.
How common is Wong?
Wong ranks #271 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Common." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 37.49 per 100,000 residents, which is about 37 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 112,062 people with the surname Wong. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128,504), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 37.49 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 37.49 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 37 of them to have the surname Wong.
Has Wong become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wong went from 111,371 recorded bearers to 112,062. That is an increase of 691 (+0.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #274 to #271.
What does the Census say about the background of Wong?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wong, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 84.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.0%) and Hispanic (4.5%). 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 Wong in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.7% (94,888 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wong appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (84.7%), Two or More Races (6.0%), Hispanic (4.5%). 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 Wong (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 Wong mean?
A Chinese occupational surname referring to someone who does business or is a merchant or seller. 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 Wong (37.49 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 Wong?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Wong on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.