Explore the Family Name Kou
The meaning of Kou
1. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 寇, meaning ‘invader’ in Chinese: (i) from the second element of the post name Si Kou (司寇), the title of an official in charge of penalties during the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC), and in the state of Wey during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (iii) adopted as a surname by the Gu Kou Yin (古口引) family from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD). 2. Chinese: alternative Mandarin form of the surnames 苟, 勾 and 緱, see Gou 1–3. 3. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 許, based on its Teochew or Hokkien pronunciations, see Xu 2. 4. Cambodian: probably of Chinese origin (compare above). Some characteristic forenames: Chinese Hong, Chen-Chen, Chi, Hui, Kou, Kuei, Mei Juan, Qing, Yang. Southeast Asian Koua, Hop, Samnang, Sau, Yen.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Kou in the United States?
The popularity of the surname Kou has significantly increased according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, Kou ranked 35,585th in terms of popularity in the United States, but by 2010 it had moved up to 27,534th place, showing a 22.62% rank change. The count of individuals with this surname also rose from 598 in 2000 to 875 in 2010, an increase of 46.32%. Consequently, the proportion of individuals bearing the surname Kou per 100,000 people also saw an uptick—it was 0.22 in 2000 and increased to 0.3 in 2010, marking a 36.36% change.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #35,585 | #27,534 | 22.62% |
| Count | 598 | 875 | 46.32% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.22 | 0.3 | 36.36% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Kou
As for the ethnic identity associated with the surname Kou, data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows noticeable shifts over the decade. In 2000, the majority of people with the surname Kou identified as Asian/Pacific Islander at 90.47%, but this decreased slightly to 88.46% in 2010. The percentage of those identifying as two or more races dropped sharply from 4.85% to 1.37%, a 71.75% decrease. On the other hand, there were increases in the percentages of people with the surname Kou identifying as White (from 1.67% to 3.89%), Hispanic (2.68% to 4.11%), and Black (0% to 2.17%). It's important to note that no data was reported for the category "American Indian and Alaskan Native" in either 2000 or 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 90.47% | 88.46% | -2.22% |
| Hispanic | 2.68% | 4.11% | 53.36% |
| White | 1.67% | 3.89% | 132.93% |
| Black | 0% | 2.17% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 4.85% | 1.37% | -71.75% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |