2000
#11,200
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,595
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.96
Uncommon Last name
Zhong
A Chinese surname meaning "middle" or "center," often referring to a family's central importance or geographic location.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 10,331 Americans carry the last name Zhong. That puts it at #3,839 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.01 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 33,177 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zhong 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 Zhong with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
10K
1 in 33,177
Census rank
#3,839
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
9.0K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 9,009 bearers of the surname Zhong in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.01 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3839th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zhong, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.8%. The next largest groups are White (1.9%) and Two or More Races (0.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zhong
The surname ZHONG originated in China, with its earliest recorded examples dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). Linguists believe the name is derived from the Chinese word "zhong," which means "middle" or "center." This suggests that the name was likely given to families or individuals who lived in the central regions of China or played a central role in their communities.
During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the ZHONG surname gained prominence, with several notable figures emerging from this lineage. One such individual was Zhong Shao (1011-1077), a renowned scholar and official who served under Emperor Renzong. His works on Confucian philosophy and ethics were highly influential during this period.
In the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368 AD), a famous military leader named Zhong Xing (1270-1328) rose to prominence. He played a crucial role in the conquest of the Song Dynasty and was later appointed as the Governor of Zhejiang Province.
The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) also saw several notable individuals bearing the ZHONG surname. Zhong Chengrui (1515-1594) was a prominent scholar and writer who made significant contributions to the field of literature and philosophy.
During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 AD), the ZHONG family produced several influential figures. One such individual was Zhong Kui (1768-1831), a renowned painter and calligrapher who was celebrated for his exceptional artistic talents.
Throughout history, the ZHONG surname has been associated with various place names and localities in China. For example, the city of Zhongxiang in Hubei Province is believed to have derived its name from the ZHONG surname, suggesting that the family had a significant presence in this region.
It is worth noting that while the ZHONG surname is widely recognized in China, its historical significance extends beyond the borders of the country. Records indicate that individuals with the ZHONG surname have made notable contributions in various fields, including academia, politics, and the arts, across different parts of the world.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zhong
Among Census respondents with the surname Zhong, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.8%. The next largest groups are White (1.9%) and Two or More Races (0.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Zhong 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 Zhong surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander96.8% · 8,718
- White1.9% · 173
- Two or more races0.5% · 42
- Black or African American0.5% · 41
- Hispanic or Latino0.4% · 33
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zhong
Zhong 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
#6,754
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,991
+2,396 bearers (+92.3%)
Per 100,000 1.69
Rank movement Up 4,446 places
2020
#3,839
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,009
+4,018 bearers (+80.5%)
Per 100,000 3.01
Rank movement Up 2,915 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,200 | 2,595 | 0.96 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,754 | 4,991 | 1.69 | +2,396 bearers (+92.3%) | Up 4,446 places |
| 2020 | #3,839 | 9,009 | 3.01 | +4,018 bearers (+80.5%) | Up 2,915 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 Zhong 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 | #6,754 | #3,839 | 43.2% |
| Count | 4,991 | 9,009 | 80.5% |
| Per 100K | 1.69 | 3.01 | 78.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zhong bearers went from 4,991 to 9,009 (+80.5% change). The surname moved up 2,915 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,754 to #3,839.
FAQ
Zhong surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zhong?
Name Census estimates that about 10,331 living Americans carry the surname Zhong. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 33,177 residents.
How common is Zhong?
Zhong ranks #3,839 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.01 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 9,009 people with the surname Zhong. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (10,331), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.01 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.01 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Zhong.
Has Zhong become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zhong went from 4,991 recorded bearers to 9,009. That is an increase of 4,018 (+80.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #6,754 to #3,839.
What does the Census say about the background of Zhong?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zhong, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.8%. The next largest groups are White (1.9%) and Two or More Races (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 Zhong in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.8% (8,718 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zhong appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (96.8%), White (1.9%), Two or More Races (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 Zhong (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 Zhong mean?
A Chinese surname meaning "middle" or "center," often referring to a family's central importance or geographic location. 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 Zhong (3.01 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 Zhong?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.