2000
#65,668
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 282
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.10
Rare Last name
Xian
A Chinese surname that may be derived from the name of the city Xi'an.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,050 Americans carry the last name Xian. That puts it at #27,817 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.31 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 326,433 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Xian 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
1.1K
1 in 326,433
Census rank
#27,817
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
916
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 916 bearers of the surname Xian in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.31 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 27817th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Xian, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 97.4%. The next largest groups are White (1.3%) and Black (0.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Xian
The surname Xian originates from China and has a rich history that dates back to ancient times. The name is particularly associated with the Han Chinese and has deep roots in Chinese culture and history. It is derived from old Chinese characters and has several meanings depending on the context, including "wise," "virtuous," and "immortal." The surname is often connected to the Daoist tradition, where the character "Xian" symbolizes immortality and transcendence.
The earliest records of the surname Xian can be traced back to ancient Chinese historical texts. One of the earliest mentions appears in the Book of Han, an official historical book covering the Western Han dynasty period (206 BCE - 9 CE). It documents that the Xian family was prominent in various regions, including the areas known today as Henan and Shandong provinces. Due to the phonetic similarities and changing dynasties, there have been variations in the spelling and interpretation of the surname Xian.
One of the earliest recorded instances of a notable individual with the surname Xian is Xian Yufu, a government official during the Eastern Han dynasty, born around 40 CE and died in 100 CE. He held various governmental posts and was known for his wisdom and administrative skills. Another historical figure is Xian Zhen, a poet and scholar from the Tang dynasty (618–907 CE), whose works are still studied today for their literary merit and philosophical depth.
A prominent military figure with the surname Xian was Xian De, a general who served during the Three Kingdoms period (220–280 CE). His strategic acumen and leadership were celebrated in historical accounts. Later, in the Song dynasty (960–1279 CE), Xian Liang, a philosopher and educator, contributed significantly to the development of Confucian thought, further cementing the prominence of the Xian surname in Chinese intellectual history.
In the realms of art and culture, Xian Xinghai (1905–1945 CE) is a notable modern historical figure. Born in Macau, he was a renowned composer whose works have had a lasting impact on Chinese music. His most famous composition, the Yellow River Cantata, is still performed and celebrated as a symbol of Chinese patriotism and resilience.
Throughout Chinese history, the surname Xian has been associated with individuals who have made significant contributions to government, military, literature, philosophy, and the arts. These historical figures are testament to the enduring legacy and cultural significance of the Xian surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Xian
Among Census respondents with the surname Xian, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 97.4%. The next largest groups are White (1.3%) and Black (0.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Xian 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 Xian surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander97.4% · 892
- White1.3% · 12
- Black or African American0.5% · 5
- Two or more races0.4% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino0.3% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Xian
Xian 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
#38,050
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 583
+301 bearers (+106.7%)
Per 100,000 0.20
Rank movement Up 27,618 places
2020
#27,817
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 916
+333 bearers (+57.1%)
Per 100,000 0.31
Rank movement Up 10,233 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #65,668 | 282 | 0.10 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #38,050 | 583 | 0.20 | +301 bearers (+106.7%) | Up 27,618 places |
| 2020 | #27,817 | 916 | 0.31 | +333 bearers (+57.1%) | Up 10,233 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 Xian 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 | #38,050 | #27,817 | 26.9% |
| Count | 583 | 916 | 57.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.20 | 0.31 | 53.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Xian bearers went from 583 to 916 (+57.1% change). The surname moved up 10,233 positions in the national ranking, going from #38,050 to #27,817.
FAQ
Xian surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Xian?
Name Census estimates that about 1,050 living Americans carry the surname Xian. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 326,433 residents.
How common is Xian?
Xian ranks #27,817 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.31 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 916 people with the surname Xian. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,050), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.31 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.31 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Xian.
Has Xian become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Xian went from 583 recorded bearers to 916. That is an increase of 333 (+57.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #38,050 to #27,817.
What does the Census say about the background of Xian?
Among Census respondents with the surname Xian, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 97.4%. The next largest groups are White (1.3%) and Black (0.5%). 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 Xian in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.4% (892 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Xian appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (97.4%), White (1.3%), Black (0.5%). 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 Xian (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 Xian mean?
A Chinese surname that may be derived from the name of the city Xi'an. 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 Xian (0.31 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 Americans have the surname Xian?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.