Explore the Family Name Xiang
The meaning of Xiang
Chinese: 1. Mandarin form of the surname 向, meaning ‘direction’ or ‘towards’ in Chinese: (i) from Xiang (向), the name of an ancient state (located in Shandong province), annihilated in the early Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (ii) from Xiang (向), the name of an ancient state (located in Henan province), annihilated in the late the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC). (iii) from the first element of the personal name Xiang Fu (向父), style name of Bi, son of the Duke Huan of Song (ruler of the state of Song, died in 651 BC). 2. Mandarin form of the surname 項, meaning ‘nape’ in ancient Chinese: from Xiang (項), the name of an ancient state (in present-day Xiangcheng in Henan province), said to have been annexed by the state of Qi or the state of Lu in 647 BC. 3. Mandarin form of the surname 相: (i) from the placename Xiang (相), a city in the early Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). (ii) from the personal name of Xiang Tu (相土), said to be the ancestor of the royal family of the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). (iii) traced back to some minority ethnic groups in southwestern China. 4. Mandarin form of the surname 香, meaning ‘fragrant’ in Chinese: (i) said to be borne by descendants of Xiang Ju (香居), an official during the reign of King Xuan of Qi (ruler of the state of Qi, died in 301 BC). (ii) from Xiang (香), the name of an ancient state in northwestern China and Central Asia. (iii) said to have been adopted as a surname by certain families in place of the Chinese surname Zha (查) in order to escape from persecution. Some characteristic forenames: Chinese Hong, Dong, Jian, Kun, Ning, Tao, Cheng, Chu, Gang, Guang, Hui, Jing, Tian.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Xiang in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Xiang has seen a considerable rise between 2000 and 2010. In year 2000, it was ranked as the 33,528th most common surname in the US, but by 2010 it had climbed to 19,041st. This represents a significant shift in rank of about 43.21%. Similarly, the count of individuals with the surname Xiang also increased dramatically during this period from 642 to 1430, representing a growth of 122.74%. The proportion of people with the surname Xiang for every 100,000 people doubled from 0.24 to 0.48.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #33,528 | #19,041 | 43.21% |
| Count | 642 | 1,430 | 122.74% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.24 | 0.48 | 100% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Xiang
Turning to the ethnic identity associated with the surname Xiang, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that almost all bearers of this name identify as Asian/Pacific Islander. Between 2000 and 2010, there was a slight decrease in this group from 98.44% to 97.34%, amounting to a change of -1.12%. During the same period, the percentage of people with this surname identifying as two or more races fell by 42.20%, from 1.09% to 0.63%. Interestingly, there were no recorded instances of this surname among White, Hispanic, and American Indian and Alaskan Native identities in 2000, but by 2010, 1.26% identified as White, while 0.56% identified as Black.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 98.44% | 97.34% | -1.12% |
| White | 0% | 1.26% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 1.09% | 0.63% | -42.2% |
| Black | 0% | 0.56% | 0% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |