Explore the Family Name Ruan
The meaning of Ruan
1. Irish and Scottish: variant of Ruane. 2. Spanish (Ruán): nickname from ruán ‘roan’ (a color of horses), a variant of Ruano. 3. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 阮, denoting a type of traditional Chinese musical instrument: (i) from Ruan (阮), the name of a small ancient state located in Jingchuang, part of Gansu province, during the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). (ii) from the surname 石 (see Shi 1). Some early bearers of the surname 石 (Shi) changed it to Ruan (阮). Some characteristic forenames: Chinese Ping, Xiu, Ying, Biao, Chao, Cheng, Guang, Guohua, Hua, Huiming, Jia, Jian Hua. Spanish Jorge, Arnulfo, Arturo, Blanca, Carlos, Eduardo, Gregorio, Guillermo, Javier, Jesus, Jose, Josefina.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ruan in the United States?
The popularity of the surname Ruan has significantly increased over a decade, as data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows. In 2000, Ruan was ranked 13,440th in popularity but jumped to a ranking of 8,907 by 2010 – an impressive increase of 33.73%. Correspondingly, the number of people with this surname also rose from 2,077 in 2000 to 3,676 in 2010, marking a nearly 77% surge. The proportion of individuals named Ruan per 100k also grew by 62.34%, indicating that it became a more common name within the population.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #13,440 | #8,907 | 33.73% |
| Count | 2,077 | 3,676 | 76.99% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.77 | 1.25 | 62.34% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ruan
Regarding the ethnic identity associated with the surname Ruan, the Decennial U.S. Census provides insightful data. The majority of individuals with this surname identify as Asian/Pacific Islander, with their percentage increasing from 69.09% in 2000 to 80.33% in 2010. During the same period, the percentage of those identifying as Hispanic decreased from 22.24% to 15.42%. Whites and Blacks who bear this surname make up a small fraction, and both experienced decreases, with Whites dropping from 5.15% to 2.09% and Blacks decreasing from 2.26% to 1.44%. The census data does not show any Ruan's identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native or as belonging to two or more races.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 69.09% | 80.33% | 16.27% |
| Hispanic | 22.24% | 15.42% | -30.67% |
| White | 5.15% | 2.09% | -59.42% |
| Black | 2.26% | 1.44% | -36.28% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |