2000
#31,389
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 698
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.26
Rare Last name
A Chinese surname derived from the ancient state of Xing.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,002 Americans carry the last name Xing. That puts it at #11,499 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.88 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 114,175 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Xing 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
3.0K
1 in 114,175
Census rank
#11,499
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,618 bearers of the surname Xing in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.88 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11499th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Xing, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.3%. The next largest groups are White (2.8%) and Two or More Races (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Xing
The surname Xing has its origin in China and is most commonly associated with Mandarin-speaking regions. The character for Xing (邢) is composed of the radical for "city" (阝) and "to punish" (刑). This character is historically tied to an ancient feudal state called Xing, which existed during the Zhou Dynasty (1046–256 BCE). The state of Xing was located in present-day Hebei province, giving the surname a specific geographic origin.
Early references to the surname can be found in various historical texts. One of the earliest recordings is in the Shiji (Records of the Grand Historian), written in the 1st century BCE by Sima Qian. This extensive history mentions the Xing family among other noble families. Additionally, the surname appears in the Book of Han (Han Shu), further corroborating its ancient origins and status.
One of the earliest notable individuals bearing the surname Xing was Xing Yuan, a scholar and official during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25–220 CE). He was known for his contributions to Confucian thought and for his essays on governance. Xing refers to the same characters in historical texts representing his name, indicating a lineage tied to scholarly and official roles.
A significant figure in Chinese history named Xing Shu was an advisor during the Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE). He served under Emperor Xuanzong and was noted for his strategic acumen during the An Lushan Rebellion. His guidance was instrumental in several decisive military maneuvers, and his contributions are detailed in the Zizhi Tongjian, a comprehensive chronicle edited by Sima Guang in the 11th century.
Another historic figure is Xing Qiyi (1110–1166), an official and poet during the Southern Song Dynasty. Xing Qiyi's administrative work and literary contributions are well-documented. His poetry, part of the broader Song Dynasty literary corpus, reflects the cultural richness of that period. Details about his life and work can be found in the Song Shi (History of the Song), compiled during the Yuan Dynasty.
Xing Tong (1551–1612), a leading painter of the late Ming Dynasty, further exemplifies the surname's association with cultural excellence. As a renowned artist in the literati style, his works were praised in contemporary records and continue to be studied for their artistic merit. His biography, included in Ming Shi (History of Ming), highlights his significant impact on Chinese art.
Xing Zhen, a Qing Dynasty official born in 1674 and died in 1745, is another noteworthy person with this surname. Serving under the Kangxi Emperor, Xing Zhen was significant in implementing reforms that modernized the administrative divisions of the empire. His legacy is recorded in Qing Shi Gao (Draft History of Qing), illustrating the influential role of individuals bearing the surname Xing through various dynastic transitions.
The surname Xing demonstrates a rich tapestry of historical significance, embedded within the annals of Chinese history. From the Zhou Dynasty through to the Qing Dynasty, the name has been borne by individuals who significantly contributed to scholarly, military, political, artistic, and administrative advancements. Their documented achievements provide a window into the lasting legacy of this surname throughout Chinese history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Xing
Among Census respondents with the surname Xing, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.3%. The next largest groups are White (2.8%) and Two or More Races (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Xing 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 Xing surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander95.3% · 2,495
- White2.8% · 74
- Two or more races0.8% · 20
- Black or African American0.7% · 18
- Hispanic or Latino0.4% · 11
Timeline
Historical Census data for Xing
Xing 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
#21,173
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,240
+542 bearers (+77.7%)
Per 100,000 0.42
Rank movement Up 10,216 places
2020
#11,499
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,618
+1,378 bearers (+111.1%)
Per 100,000 0.88
Rank movement Up 9,674 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #31,389 | 698 | 0.26 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #21,173 | 1,240 | 0.42 | +542 bearers (+77.7%) | Up 10,216 places |
| 2020 | #11,499 | 2,618 | 0.88 | +1,378 bearers (+111.1%) | Up 9,674 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 Xing 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 | #21,173 | #11,499 | 45.7% |
| Count | 1,240 | 2,618 | 111.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.42 | 0.88 | 108.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Xing bearers went from 1,240 to 2,618 (+111.1% change). The surname moved up 9,674 positions in the national ranking, going from #21,173 to #11,499.
FAQ
Xing surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Xing?
Name Census estimates that about 3,002 living Americans carry the surname Xing. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 114,175 residents.
How common is Xing?
Xing ranks #11,499 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.88 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,618 people with the surname Xing. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,002), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.88 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.88 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Xing.
Has Xing become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Xing went from 1,240 recorded bearers to 2,618. That is an increase of 1,378 (+111.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #21,173 to #11,499.
What does the Census say about the background of Xing?
Among Census respondents with the surname Xing, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.3%. The next largest groups are White (2.8%) and Two or More Races (0.8%). 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 Xing in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.3% (2,495 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Xing appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (95.3%), White (2.8%), Two or More Races (0.8%). 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 Xing (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 Xing mean?
A Chinese surname derived from the ancient state of Xing. 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 Xing (0.88 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 Xing?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.