Explore the Family Name Shun
The meaning of Shun
Chinese: 1. Mandarin form of the surname 舜: (i) said to be traced back to Emperor Shun (舜, c.23rd century bc), a legendary ruler prior to the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC). (ii) from the first element of the personal name Shun Hua (舜华), a talented official in the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). 2. Mandarin form of the surname 順, of unexplained etymology. Also a surname from minority ethnic groups in southern China and Taiwan. 3. variant Romanization of the surname 孫, see Sun 1. 4. possibly from Cantonese form of some Chinese names 順, 信, 迅, 遜, 純, or 淳, which were monosyllabic personal names, or part of disyllabic personal names of some early Chinese immigrants in the US.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Shun in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Shun saw a minor decrease in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 76,208th and by 2010 it had dropped slightly to 77,788th—a change of 2.07%. However, despite this drop in ranking, the count of individuals with the surname Shun modestly increased during this decade. In 2000, there were 235 individuals with this surname and by 2010, the number rose to 246, marking a growth of 4.68%. The proportion of people named Shun per 100,000 residents also declined by 11.11% over this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #76,208 | #77,788 | -2.07% |
| Count | 235 | 246 | 4.68% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.09 | 0.08 | -11.11% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Shun
Shifting focus to the ethnic identity associated with the surname Shun, data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows that the majority of individuals with this name identify as Asian/Pacific Islander. This group increased from 57.02% in 2000 to 64.23% in 2010 – a significant increase of 12.64%. The second largest group was White, however, they saw a decrease in representation from 31.06% in 2000 to 26.02% in 2010. Those identifying as two or more races also decreased from 4.68% to 3.66%. Meanwhile, the Black community saw an increase from 3.40% to 4.07%. The Hispanic community witnessed a substantial decline from 3.83% in 2000 to 2.03% in 2010. The American Indian and Alaskan Native population remained constant at 0% throughout the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 57.02% | 64.23% | 12.64% |
| White | 31.06% | 26.02% | -16.23% |
| Black | 3.4% | 4.07% | 19.71% |
| Two or More Races | 4.68% | 3.66% | -21.79% |
| Hispanic | 3.83% | 2.03% | -47% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |