Explore the Family Name Peng
The meaning of Peng
Chinese: 1. Mandarin form of the surname 彭, meaning ‘next to, beside’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the second element of the placename Da Peng (大彭), the name of an ancient fief (located in present-day Jiangsu province) that granted to Jian Keng, also known as Peng Zu (彭祖), the third son of Lu Zhong, said to be a descendant of the legendary Huang Di, the ‘Yellow Emperor’ (c.27th century bc). After the state of Da Peng was annexed in around 1282 BC, Peng (彭) was adopted as a surname. According to legend, Peng Zu lived for over 800 years; his name came to symbolize longevity, like Methusaleh in the West. (ii) for some families, this surname can be traced back to minority ethnic groups in ancient western and southern China. 2. Mandarin form of the surname 蓬, meaning ‘Erigeron acer’ in Chinese: from the placename Peng Zhou (蓬州), the name of a fief (located in present-day Sichuan province) during the Zhou dynasty (1046–256 BC). (ii) possibly from name of a kind of plant. 3. variant Romanization of the surnames 平 and 邴, see Ping 1 and 2. Some characteristic forenames: Chinese Wei, Liang, Ching, Ming, Hua, Song, Chen, Cheng, Gang, Hong, Jian, Mei, Hai, Tien, Chang, Chung, Da, Dat, Huan, Hung, Shen, Thy, Tui, Xuan, Yeh, Yen.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Peng in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "Peng" has seen a significant increase between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 4989 in the list of most popular surnames but by 2010, it climbed to position 3374, marking an upward shift of 32.37%. The number of people bearing this surname also grew remarkably from 6460 in 2000 to 10575 in 2010, an increase of 63.7%. Consequently, the proportion of individuals with the surname Peng per 100,000 people rose by 49.79% during the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,989 | #3,374 | 32.37% |
| Count | 6,460 | 10,575 | 63.7% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.39 | 3.58 | 49.79% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Peng
When looking at the ethnic identity associated with the surname Peng as per the Decennial U.S. Census, it is primarily linked with the Asian/Pacific Islander community. Although the percentage dropped slightly from 78.30% in 2000 to 76.04% in 2010, this group still constitutes the majority. Meanwhile, there was a noteworthy rise in the Hispanic community, from 16.63% in 2000 to 19.69% in 2010, indicating an increase of 18.40%. Conversely, the percentages for those identifying as two or more races, White, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native decreased over the decade. It's important to note that these changes reflect broader demographic trends and not individual choices or shifts in personal identification.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 78.3% | 76.04% | -2.89% |
| Hispanic | 16.63% | 19.69% | 18.4% |
| White | 3.13% | 2.61% | -16.61% |
| Two or More Races | 1.39% | 1.24% | -10.79% |
| Black | 0.4% | 0.38% | -5% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.15% | 0.05% | -66.67% |
Peng 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 Peng is Chinese, which comprises 90.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Korean (1.9%) and Chinese Dai (1.5%). Additional ancestries include Vietnamese, French & German, British & Irish, Manchurian & Mongolian, and Indonesian, Thai, Khmer & Myanma.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 90.7% |
| Korean | 1.9% |
| Chinese Dai | 1.5% |
| Other | 5.9% |
Possible origins of the surname Peng
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 Peng have recent ancestry locations all within China.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Guangdong, China | 60.40% |
| Fujian, China | 60.40% |
| Jiangsu, China | 60.10% |
| Shandong, China | 60.10% |
| Zhejiang, China | 60.10% |
What Peng 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 Peng is O-M159, which is predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Haplogroup O-M159 is descended from haplogroup O-M1359. Other common haplogroups include O-F8 and O-F11, which are predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American and East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Chu, Cheung, Wong, Ong, Huang, Su, Tang, Chen, Liang, Chao.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Peng surname are: F1a1, D4, M7b. 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 ancient people of the Indian subcontinent
While Haplogroup M is widespread throughout South and East Asia, it is more diverse on the Indian sub-continent than anywhere else in the world. The high degree of diversity of M in India is likely tied to its ancient arrival here nearly 50,000 years ago. In addition to M2, which is found throughout the subcontinent, there are dozens of haplogroups branching off of M that exist in India. These branches are often connected to specific regions, tribes, or ethnic groups. For example, haplogroup M18 is found among the Oraon peoples of eastern India and Bangladesh, while haplogroup M41 is common among the Pardhan speakers of eastern India, and haplogroup M31a can be found on the Andaman Islands, just off the southeast coast of India.
What do people with the surname Peng 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.
"Peng" Surname 27.9%
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.
"Peng" Surname 26.7%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Peng" Surname 14.1%
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.
"Peng" Surname 4.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Peng?
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 Peng are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition