2000
#2,701
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,228
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.53
Uncommon Last name
Xu
A Chinese surname meaning "to continue" or "to allow," which originated from the ancient state of Xu.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 50,922 Americans carry the last name Xu. That puts it at #763 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 14.86 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 6,731 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Xu 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 Xu with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
51K
1 in 6,731
Census rank
#763
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
14.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
44K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 44,406 bearers of the surname Xu in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 14.86 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 763rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Xu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.2%. The next largest groups are White (2.4%) and Two or More Races (0.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Xu
The surname "XU" originates from China, where it first appeared in historical records dating back to the 7th century AD. The name is believed to be derived from the Chinese word "xu," which means "humble" or "modest." It was commonly adopted by families living in the regions of Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong.
One of the earliest known references to the surname "XU" can be found in the "Book of Tang," a historical text compiled in the 10th century. This text mentions several prominent individuals with the surname, including Xu Jingzong, a renowned scholar and poet who lived during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD).
In the 11th century, the "XU" surname gained further prominence when Xu Xian, a prominent general and military strategist, played a crucial role in the successful defense of the Song Dynasty against the Liao Empire. His military achievements and loyalty to the imperial court were widely celebrated and recorded in various historical texts.
The "XU" surname has also been associated with several notable scholars and philosophers throughout Chinese history. One such individual was Xu Guangqi (1562-1633), a prominent scholar, mathematician, and agricultural scientist who played a significant role in the introduction of Western science and technology to China during the Ming Dynasty.
Another prominent figure with the "XU" surname was Xu Xiake (1587-1641), a renowned geographer, travel writer, and explorer who traveled extensively throughout China and documented his observations in meticulous detail. His writings provided valuable insights into the geography, culture, and customs of various regions in China during the Ming Dynasty.
In the 19th century, Xu Shou (1818-1884) gained recognition as a prominent writer and poet during the Qing Dynasty. His literary works, which often explored themes of social commentary and personal introspection, were widely praised and influential during his time.
Throughout history, the "XU" surname has been associated with numerous scholars, writers, military leaders, and prominent figures in various fields, reflecting the diverse contributions of individuals bearing this ancient Chinese name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Xu
Among Census respondents with the surname Xu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.2%. The next largest groups are White (2.4%) and Two or More Races (0.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Xu 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 Xu surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander96.2% · 42,737
- White2.4% · 1,083
- Two or more races0.6% · 261
- Black or African American0.4% · 197
- Hispanic or Latino0.3% · 115
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 13
Timeline
Historical Census data for Xu
Xu 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
#1,381
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 25,622
+13,394 bearers (+109.5%)
Per 100,000 8.69
Rank movement Up 1,320 places
2020
#763
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 44,406
+18,784 bearers (+73.3%)
Per 100,000 14.86
Rank movement Up 618 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,701 | 12,228 | 4.53 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #1,381 | 25,622 | 8.69 | +13,394 bearers (+109.5%) | Up 1,320 places |
| 2020 | #763 | 44,406 | 14.86 | +18,784 bearers (+73.3%) | Up 618 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 Xu 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 | #1,381 | #763 | 44.8% |
| Count | 25,622 | 44,406 | 73.3% |
| Per 100K | 8.69 | 14.86 | 71.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Xu bearers went from 25,622 to 44,406 (+73.3% change). The surname moved up 618 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,381 to #763.
FAQ
Xu surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Xu?
Name Census estimates that about 50,922 living Americans carry the surname Xu. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 6,731 residents.
How common is Xu?
Xu ranks #763 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 14.86 per 100,000 residents, which is about 15 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 44,406 people with the surname Xu. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (50,922), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 14.86 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 14.86 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 15 of them to have the surname Xu.
Has Xu become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Xu went from 25,622 recorded bearers to 44,406. That is an increase of 18,784 (+73.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #1,381 to #763.
What does the Census say about the background of Xu?
Among Census respondents with the surname Xu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.2%. The next largest groups are White (2.4%) and Two or More Races (0.6%). 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 Xu in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.2% (42,737 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Xu appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (96.2%), White (2.4%), Two or More Races (0.6%). 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 Xu (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 Xu mean?
A Chinese surname meaning "to continue" or "to allow," which originated from the ancient state of Xu. 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 Xu (14.86 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 are called Xu?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people are called Xu at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.