Explore the Family Name Vang
The meaning of Vang
1. Southeast Asian (Hmong): from the name of the Vang clan of the Hmong people in Laos, China, and Vietnam; in Chinese characters it is written 王 (see Wang 1). Compare Wang 7. 2. Vietnamese (Vàng): originating from old Chinese 黃, meaning ‘yellow, gold’, possibly adopted as a variant (translation equivalent) for the two Chinese-origin Vietnamese surnames Kim (derived from Chinese surname 金, meaning ‘gold’) or Hoang (derived from Chinese surname 黃, meaning ‘yellow’). Also possibly from the Hmong people, see 1 above. 3. Norwegian and Danish: habitational name from any of numerous farmsteads and other places so named, from Old Norse vangr ‘field, meadow’. Compare Wang 10. 4. Swedish (Vång): topographic or ornamental name from vång ‘field, meadow’. Compare Wang 10 and Vong 5. 5. Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Wang 9. Some characteristic forenames: Southeast Asian Neng, Pao, Yer, Chue, Chao, Doua, Mee, Kou, Chou, Yia, Chia, Ying, Kao, Seng, Tong, Yee, Chong, Youa, Houa, Thai, Soua, Blia, Toua, Koua. Vietnamese Mai, Bao, Thao, Dang, Long, Khue, Mang, Thong, Da, Hue, Kha, Khai.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Vang in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Vang has significantly increased over a decade. In 2000, Vang was ranked as the 982nd most common surname, but it moved up to 726th rank by 2010, showing a considerable growth rate of 26.07%. The count of individuals with the surname Vang also rose from 32,333 in 2000 to 48,036 in 2010, indicating a substantial increase of 48.57%. Moreover, the proportion of the Vang surname per 100,000 people surged by 35.78% over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #982 | #726 | 26.07% |
| Count | 32,333 | 48,036 | 48.57% |
| Proportion per 100k | 11.99 | 16.28 | 35.78% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Vang
The census data also reveals interesting insights into the ethnicity of those bearing the Vang surname. Again, based on the Decennial U.S. Census, an overwhelming majority of individuals with this surname identified with an Asian/Pacific Islander ethnic identity. This group's percentage increased from 92.90% in 2000 to 96.70% in 2010. Those identifying with two or more races saw a significant decrease from 4.83% to 1.41% during the same timeframe. Meanwhile, the proportions of White and Hispanic ethnicities also declined slightly, whereas no individuals with the surname Vang identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 92.9% | 96.7% | 4.09% |
| Two or More Races | 4.83% | 1.41% | -70.81% |
| White | 1.44% | 1.37% | -4.86% |
| Hispanic | 0.63% | 0.42% | -33.33% |
| Black | 0.15% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.05% | 0% | 0% |
Vang 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 Vang is Chinese, which comprises 63.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Chinese Dai (19.3%) and Vietnamese (5.0%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, British & Irish, French & German, Indonesian, Thai, Khmer & Myanma, and Eastern European.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 63.4% |
| Chinese Dai | 19.3% |
| Vietnamese | 5.0% |
| Other | 12.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Vang
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 Vang have recent ancestry locations all within China.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Guangdong, China | 85.60% |
| Sichuan, China | 85.20% |
| Jiangsu, China | 84.40% |
| Shandong, China | 84.00% |
| Chongqing, China | 84.00% |
What Vang 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 Vang is C-F2613, which is predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Haplogroup C-F2613 is descended from haplogroup C-M217. Other common haplogroups include O-F1275 and O-F793, which are predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American and East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Yoon, Yoo, Cha, Yang, Lo, He, Xiao, Lee, Au, Luo.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Vang surname are: B4a, M, B5a1. 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 haplogroups B4 and B5 are quite frequent in both northern and southern Han Chinese populations. 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, centered in Zhongyuan, China's Central Plain. The spread of Han people, language and culture from northern to southern China only occurred in the last 2,000 years, and was likely driven by warfare and famine in the north.
What do people with the surname Vang 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.
"Vang" Surname 30.9%
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.
"Vang" Surname 20.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Vang" Surname 19.3%
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.
"Vang" Surname 5.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Vang?
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 Vang are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition