Explore the Family Name Shao
The meaning of Shao
Chinese: 1. Mandarin form of the surname 邵: habitational name from a placename, Chinese 召 (originally pronounced Shao in Mandarin), the name of a fief (located in Qishan in Shaanxi province) granted to Shi, also known as Shao Gong (召公, Duke of Shao), son of King Wen of Zhou (1152–1056 BC). 2. Mandarin form of the surname 韶: possibly from Shao (韶), the name of a town (located in Guangdong province) during the Sui dynasty (581 – 618 AD). Some characteristic forenames: Chinese Ming, Bin, Chi, Wei, Hui, Li, Ping, Qing, Jianzhong, Liming, Ning, Rong, Min, Chung, Hu, Kok, Shiu, Yiping.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Shao in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Shao has been growing in popularity within the United States. In 2000, Shao was ranked as the 14,201st most common surname, while by 2010, it had moved up to become the 8,765th most common surname. This represents a significant increase of 38.28% over the decade. The count of individuals with the surname Shao also nearly doubled during this period, with a rise of 92.93% from 1,939 in 2000 to 3,741 in 2010. Its proportion per 100,000 people also surged by 76.39%, indicating its growing prevalence.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,201 | #8,765 | 38.28% |
| Count | 1,939 | 3,741 | 92.93% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.72 | 1.27 | 76.39% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Shao
Moving onto ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that the majority of individuals bearing the surname Shao identify as Asian or Pacific Islander. This group represented 95.10% in 2000 and saw a slight increase to 95.35% in 2010. There was a small decline of 13.71% in those identifying as two or more races and an 8.55% decrease in those identifying as white. Additionally, there was a notable increase in the number of Black individuals carrying the surname Shao, with a growth of 53.85% noted between 2000 and 2010. However, the numbers for Hispanic and American Indian and Alaskan Native remained stagnant at 0%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 95.1% | 95.35% | 0.26% |
| White | 3.04% | 2.78% | -8.55% |
| Two or More Races | 1.24% | 1.07% | -13.71% |
| Black | 0.26% | 0.4% | 53.85% |
| Hispanic | 0.36% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Shao 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 Shao is Chinese, which comprises 91.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Korean (2.6%) and Manchurian & Mongolian (2.3%). Additional ancestries include British & Irish, French & German, Vietnamese, Chinese Dai, and Eastern European.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 91.1% |
| Korean | 2.6% |
| Manchurian & Mongolian | 2.3% |
| Other | 4.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Shao
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 Shao have recent ancestry locations in China and Taiwan.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Fujian, China | 21.50% |
| Guangdong, China | 21.50% |
| Shanghai, China | 20.80% |
| Zhejiang, China | 20.80% |
| Jiangsu, China | 20.80% |
What Shao 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 Shao is C-M217, which is predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Haplogroup C-M217 is descended from haplogroup C-M217. Other common haplogroups include O-F18 and P-M45, which are predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Chai, Yin, Feng, Dai, Chong, Bai, Ha, Jin, Lou, Hua.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Shao surname are: F1a1, R, D4. These most commonly trace back to individuals of East Asian & Indigenous American and European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins C-M217
Your paternal lineage may be linked to Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan, the Mongolian conqueror that lived from 1162 to 1227 CE, was likely a member of haplogroup C-M217, and may be responsible for the spread of one of its branches. Half of a percent of all men on Earth, and 8% of men in the region reaching from northeastern China to Uzbekistan, may descend from Genghis Khan. His lineage is most common in Hazara, Mongolian, Uygur, Chinese Kazak, and Inner Mongolian Han populations.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to the Han
Members of haplogroup D are found in both northern and southern Han Chinese populations at low to moderate frequencies. The Han people, who all share the same language and similar cultural practices, are the largest ethnic group in the world, with about 1.2 billion people. Historical evidence shows that Han people are descendants of the ancient Huaxia tribes that come from northern China, and Han language and culture only expanded into southern China in the last 2,000 years. The spread of Han people and culture from northern to southern China was likely driven by warfare and famine in the north.
What do people with the surname Shao 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.
"Shao" Surname 40.7%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Cheek Dimples
Small indentations that appear on the cheeks when a person smiles.
"Shao" Surname 36.4%
23andMe Users 37.6%
Habits
Kinesthetic Learner
Preferring to learn and process information through hands-on activities, practical experiences, and active engagement.
"Shao" Surname 50.0%
23andMe Users 61.5%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Shao" Surname 7.1%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Shao?
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 Shao are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition