Explore the Family Name Hu
The meaning of Hu
1. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 胡, a term referring to the ethnic minorities in ancient northern and western China: (i) from Hu (胡), the name of an ancient state (located in present-day Henan province) during the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC). After it was annexed by the state of Zheng (located in present-day Shaanxi and Henan provinces) in the 26th year of the reign of King Ping of Zhou (died 720 BC), people from the fief adopted 胡, the name of the state, as their surname. (ii) from Hu (胡), the name of a state (located in present-day Anhui province). After it was annexed by the state of Chu in the 15th year of the reign of Duke Ding of Lu (ruler of the state of Lu, reigned 509–495 BC), people from the fief adopted 胡, the name of the state, as their surname. (iii) from the personal name of Hu Gong Man (胡公满, Duke Hu of Chen), the posthumous title of Yu Man. He was given the fief of Chen (located mainly in present-day Henan and Anhui province) by King Wu of Zhou (c.1087–1043 BC). (iv) from the personal name of Hu Guang (胡廣), who changed his original surname 黃 to 胡 during the Eastern Han dynasty (25–220 AD). (v) from the Hu Gu (胡骨) or He Gu (纥骨) families from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China, who changed their surname to 胡 during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD). 2. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 扈, meaning ‘retinue’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from Hu (扈), the name of an ancient state (located in present-day Shaanxi province) dating back to the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC) (ii) adopted as a surname by the Hu Di Gan (扈地干) family from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD). 3. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 呼, meaning ‘exhale’ in Chinese: (i) said to be borne by the descendants of Hu Zixian (呼子先), an astrologist during the Han dynasty (206 BC–220 AD). (ii) shortened form of the compound surname Hu-Yan (呼延), a surname from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China. (iii) a surname from other minority ethnic groups in northern China. 4. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 虎, meaning ‘tiger’ in Chinese: (i) said to be from the second element of the personal name Bo Hu (伯虎), a legendary talented figure during the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC); (ii) possibly from totems of some tribes. 5. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surnames 傅, 付, 符 and 扶, possibly based on their Teochew or Hokkien pronunciations, see Fu 1–4. 6. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 許, possibly based on its Teochew or Hokkien pronunciation, see Xu 2. 7. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surnames 邱 and 丘, see Qiu 1 and 2. 8. In some cases also Amerindian (Mexico): variant of Huh ‘iguana’. 9. In some cases also Amerindian (Guatemala; Hú): probably a cognate of the name in 8 above. 10. In some cases possibly also French: nickname from Old French hu ‘outcry, noise’. Some characteristic forenames: Chinese Wei, Jian, Ming, Ping, Bin, Yi, Ying, Jing, Xiao, Qi, Yan, Chi. Korean Chang, Chung, Min, Yiping, Chong, Chul, Hu, Jung Soo, Sang Hoon, Tian, Wook, Yiming.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Hu in the United States?
The surname Hu has seen a significant rise in popularity between the years 2000 and 2010, according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, the surname ranked 2747 in popularity and rose to rank 1797 in 2010, a change of 34.58%. Likewise, the count of individuals carrying the surname increased from 12,056 in 2000 to 19,999 in 2010, a 65.88% increase. The proportion of people with this surname per 100,000 also saw an increase from 4.47 to 6.78 during this period, marking a 51.68% change.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,747 | #1,797 | 34.58% |
| Count | 12,056 | 19,999 | 65.88% |
| Proportion per 100k | 4.47 | 6.78 | 51.68% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Hu
On the aspect of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the majority of individuals with the surname Hu identify as Asian/Pacific Islander, although there was a slight decrease from 95.51% in 2000 to 94.93% in 2010. The number of individuals identifying as two or more races slightly increased by 1.24%, while those identifying as White saw a substantial increase of 29.07% during the same period. Interestingly, the data shows some new ethnic identities beginning to emerge within the Hu surname holders, with 0.37% identifying as Black and 0.04% as American Indian and Alaskan Native in 2010. Conversely, the percentage of individuals identifying as Hispanic decreased by 10% over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 95.51% | 94.93% | -0.61% |
| White | 1.72% | 2.22% | 29.07% |
| Two or More Races | 1.61% | 1.63% | 1.24% |
| Hispanic | 0.9% | 0.81% | -10% |
| Black | 0% | 0.37% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.04% | 0% |
Hu ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Hu is Chinese, which comprises 87.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Korean (1.8%) and British & Irish (1.7%). Additional ancestries include Manchurian & Mongolian, French & German, Chinese Dai, Eastern European, and Vietnamese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 87.3% |
| Korean | 1.8% |
| British & Irish | 1.7% |
| Other | 9.2% |
Possible origins of the surname Hu
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Hu have recent ancestry locations in China and Taiwan.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Guangdong, China | 30.70% |
| Zhejiang, China | 30.50% |
| Jiangsu, China | 30.10% |
| Shanghai, China | 29.90% |
| Shandong, China | 29.90% |
What Hu haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Hu is O-F46, which is predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Haplogroup O-F46 is descended from haplogroup O-M1359. Other common haplogroups include O-CTS2498 and O-F8, which are predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American and East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Xu, Lu, Zhou, Zhang, Zhu, Li, Yang, Chang, Sun, Wang.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Hu surname are: A4, F2, D4. These most commonly trace back to individuals of East Asian & Indigenous American and European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins O-M1359
Your paternal lineage may be linked to many of the Massim groups of Papua New Guinea
Haplogroup O2a is prevalent among Massim ethnic groups, including the populations of Airara, Nomanby, the eastern tip of the mainland, the Trobriand Islands, Gawa, Woodlark, the Laughland Islands, and western Calvados. While Papua New Guinea has been inhabited for over 50,000 years, the Massim may have arrived in the last 2,000 years. Today, these populations remain connected through a traditional island trading system called the Kula Ring. Under this exchange system, residents ensure that goods that are only available on some islands, but that are vitally needed in other islands, are shared among the island populations. Only Massim men participate in the Kula exchange system, and it is common for men to be away from home for months at a time when trading with men from other islands.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to the Hmong-Mien
Haplogroup F is particularly common in populations of Hmong-Mien speakers, one of the major language families in East Asia. This group includes the Lahu, Hmong, Lao, and Mien of southern China and Southeast Asia. Many of these groups are considered ethnic minorities in their countries, including in China, Vietnam, and Thailand.During the Vietnam War, from 1953 to 1975, the United States Central Intelligence Agency recruited many of the Hmong, Lao, Mien, and Lahu to fight for American interests in Laos against the North Vietnamese and the Pathet Lao. When the North Vietnamese and Pathet Lao gained control of the region, members of the ethnic groups recruited by the US were targeted, forcing many of the Hmong-Mien to flee the country. Many refugees resettled in the United States, especially in California and along the western seaboard.
What do people with the surname Hu have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Hu" Surname 27.5%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Hu" Surname 32.8%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Hu" Surname 17.8%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Hu" Surname 5.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Hu?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Hu are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition