Find out how popular the last name Xuan is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Xuan.

Xuan, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Xuan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Xuan in America

Xuan is the 47614th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Xuan surname appeared 445 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Xuan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Xuan to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Xuan

The surname Xuan is of Chinese origin, with deep historical roots in China dating back several centuries. Predominantly found in regions such as Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Henan, the name Xuan is derived from ancient Chinese characters that encompass a range of meanings. The character "宣" means to declare or to announce, and historically, it has also been associated with imperial declarations and proclamations.

Historical references to the surname Xuan can be traced back to ancient Chinese texts and records where family names were meticulously documented. In the Song Dynasty-era text, the "Hundred Family Surnames" (百家姓), which dates to around the 10th-11th centuries, the surname Xuan is prominently listed. This demonstrates the antiquity and continuity of the name over a millennium.

The earliest recorded examples of the surname Xuan appear in the historical writings of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). One notable figure from this period is Xuan Zhen (宣真), a well-known Taoist scholar born in 843 AD and whose works contributed significantly to Taoist literature. Another prominent individual was Xuan Jian (宣简), an official of the Southern Dynasties in the 5th century, recognized for his contributions to the governance and administration of his region.

During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the Xuan family name continued to appear in official records. One such individual was Xuan Cai (宣才), born in 1501 AD, a notable scholar and poet whose works are still appreciated in Chinese literary circles. His contributions to poetry and the arts were significant enough to be recorded in various anthologies of the time.

In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD), the surname Xuan gained further prominence. Xuan Li (宣礼), born in 1723, was a respected physician known for his advancements in traditional Chinese medicine. His medical texts were widely studied and influenced the practice of medicine in his region.

Another historical figure with the surname Xuan is Xuan De (宣德), an official during the late Qing Dynasty, born in 1798. His political career and efforts in the reformation of regional policies were well-documented in government records.

Throughout the centuries, the surname Xuan has maintained its presence in Chinese society, evolving slightly in its spellings and regional adaptations but consistently representing a lineage of individuals who contributed to Chinese culture, governance, literature, and science. The name Xuan continues to be recognized for its historical significance and the notable achievements of those who bore it.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Xuan

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Xuan.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Xuan was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Xuan has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Xuan was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Xuan, please contact us.

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