2000
#8,219
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,711
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.38
Uncommon Last name
Zeng
A Chinese surname meaning "to increase, grow, or flourish," often referring to prosperous descendants or increasing productivity.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 14,120 Americans carry the last name Zeng. That puts it at #2,852 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.12 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 24,274 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zeng 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 Zeng with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
14K
1 in 24,274
Census rank
#2,852
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
12K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 12,313 bearers of the surname Zeng in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.12 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2852nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zeng, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.0%. The next largest groups are White (2.4%) and Two or More Races (0.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zeng
The surname Zeng originates from China and can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is believed to have derived from the Chinese word "zeng," which means "to increase" or "to add." This name was likely given to families who were involved in agricultural activities or whose businesses were thriving.
During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the Zeng family was particularly prominent in the regions of Guangdong and Fujian provinces. Historical records from this period mention several Zeng scholars and officials who served in the imperial court.
One of the earliest known individuals with the Zeng surname was Zeng Gong (1019-1083 AD), a renowned Confucian scholar and writer from Fujian. He is best known for his work "Xingli daquan" (The Complete Collection of Nature and Principle), which was a significant contribution to the Neo-Confucian philosophy of the time.
In the 13th century, Zeng Bu (1237-1307 AD) was a prominent military leader and strategist from Guangdong. He played a crucial role in the defense of the Song Dynasty against the Mongol invasions and was later honored with the title of "Duke of Loyalty and Honor."
During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the Zeng family continued to produce notable figures. One such individual was Zeng Zhen (1505-1570 AD), a celebrated painter and calligrapher from Fujian. His works were highly acclaimed for their bold and expressive style, and he is considered one of the "Four Masters of the Ming Dynasty."
In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD), Zeng Guofan (1811-1872 AD) was a prominent statesman and military leader from Hunan province. He played a significant role in suppressing the Taiping Rebellion, one of the bloodiest civil wars in Chinese history, and was instrumental in modernizing the Qing army.
Another notable figure from the Qing Dynasty was Zeng Guoquan (1824-1890 AD), a scholar and writer from Guangdong. He is best known for his literary works and his efforts in promoting education and social reforms during the late Qing period.
Throughout history, the Zeng surname has been associated with various place names and localities in China, including Zengcheng (a district in Guangzhou), Zengjiang (a county in Guangdong), and Zengzhou (an ancient city in Henan province).
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zeng
Among Census respondents with the surname Zeng, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.0%. The next largest groups are White (2.4%) and Two or More Races (0.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Zeng 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 Zeng surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander96.0% · 11,819
- White2.4% · 299
- Two or more races0.7% · 83
- Black or African American0.5% · 64
- Hispanic or Latino0.4% · 45
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zeng
Zeng 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
#4,662
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,605
+3,894 bearers (+104.9%)
Per 100,000 2.58
Rank movement Up 3,557 places
2020
#2,852
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,313
+4,708 bearers (+61.9%)
Per 100,000 4.12
Rank movement Up 1,810 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,219 | 3,711 | 1.38 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,662 | 7,605 | 2.58 | +3,894 bearers (+104.9%) | Up 3,557 places |
| 2020 | #2,852 | 12,313 | 4.12 | +4,708 bearers (+61.9%) | Up 1,810 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 Zeng 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 | #4,662 | #2,852 | 38.8% |
| Count | 7,605 | 12,313 | 61.9% |
| Per 100K | 2.58 | 4.12 | 59.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zeng bearers went from 7,605 to 12,313 (+61.9% change). The surname moved up 1,810 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,662 to #2,852.
FAQ
Zeng surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zeng?
Name Census estimates that about 14,120 living Americans carry the surname Zeng. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 24,274 residents.
How common is Zeng?
Zeng ranks #2,852 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.12 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 12,313 people with the surname Zeng. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (14,120), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.12 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.12 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Zeng.
Has Zeng become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zeng went from 7,605 recorded bearers to 12,313. That is an increase of 4,708 (+61.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #4,662 to #2,852.
What does the Census say about the background of Zeng?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zeng, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.0%. The next largest groups are White (2.4%) and Two or More Races (0.7%). 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 Zeng in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.0% (11,819 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zeng appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (96.0%), White (2.4%), Two or More Races (0.7%). 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 Zeng (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 Zeng mean?
A Chinese surname meaning "to increase, grow, or flourish," often referring to prosperous descendants or increasing productivity. 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 Zeng (4.12 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 Zeng?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.