Explore the Family Name Zhong
The meaning of Zhong
Chinese: 1. Mandarin form of the surname 鐘, meaning ‘bell’ in Chinese: from the placename Zhong Li (鐘離), a fief (located in Fengyang in Anhui province or in Hanchuan in Hubei province) in the state of Chu, which was granted to Zhou Li, who fled to the state of Chu from the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). 2. Mandarin form of the surname 仲, meaning ‘second in order of birth’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the personal names of Zhong Kan (仲堪) and Zhong Xiong (仲熊), two famous educators during the reign of the legendary Emperor Shun (c.23rd century bc). (ii) from Gong Zhong (共仲), style name of Qing Fu, a prince of the state of Lu (located mainly in present-day Shandong province) during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (iii) from the personal name of Zhong Hui (仲虺), an official during the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). (iv) from Zhong Shan Fu (仲山甫), style name of a famous official during the reign of King Xuan of Zhong (reigned 827–791 BC). (v) from the personal name of Zhong Ji (仲幾), a noble in the state of Song (located in present-day Shangqiu in Henan province). 3. Mandarin form of the surname 衷, meaning ‘sincere’ in Chinese: said to be adopted in place of another Chinese surname 哀. Some characteristic forenames: Chinese Wei, Min, Mei, Ning, Sheng, Zhu, Jianhua, Jianping, Jin Hui, Lan, Li, Ling, Liping, Ping, Xuan, Yaping, You.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Zhong in the United States?
The surname Zhong has seen a notable increase in popularity in the United States, as indicated by data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, it was ranked 11,200th, and by 2010, it had risen to 6,754th place, marking a significant change of 39.7%. Additionally, the count of individuals bearing this surname more than doubled during this decade, growing from 2,595 to 4,991. The proportion of individuals named Zhong per 100,000 people also rose sharply, from 0.96 to 1.69, representing a 76.04% increase.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #11,200 | #6,754 | 39.7% |
| Count | 2,595 | 4,991 | 92.33% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.96 | 1.69 | 76.04% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Zhong
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Zhong, based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, is overwhelmingly Asian/Pacific Islander. In 2000, 98.3% of individuals with the surname identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, a figure that dipped slightly to 97.98% in 2010. Notably, there was an increase in individuals who identify as White, rising from 0.46% in 2000 to 1.12% in 2010. Those identifying as two or more races decreased from 0.85% to 0.54%, while those identifying as Hispanic dropped from 0.27% to 0.24%. No individuals with the surname Zhong identified as Black, American Indian or Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 98.3% | 97.98% | -0.33% |
| White | 0.46% | 1.12% | 143.48% |
| Two or More Races | 0.85% | 0.54% | -36.47% |
| Hispanic | 0.27% | 0.24% | -11.11% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Zhong 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 Zhong is Chinese, which comprises 91.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Chinese Dai (3.4%) and Vietnamese (1.3%). Additional ancestries include Korean, Manchurian & Mongolian, Central Asian, Japanese, and Iranian, Caucasian & Mesopotamian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 91.8% |
| Chinese Dai | 3.4% |
| Vietnamese | 1.3% |
| Other | 3.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Zhong
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 Zhong have recent ancestry locations all within China.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Shandong, China | 52.50% |
| Zhejiang, China | 52.50% |
| Fujian, China | 52.50% |
| Guangdong, China | 52.50% |
| Jiangsu, China | 52.50% |
What Zhong 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 Zhong is O-CTS2498, which is predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Haplogroup O-CTS2498 is descended from haplogroup O-M1359. Other common haplogroups include O-Page23 and O-M11115, which are predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American and East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Ye, Yeh, Tse, Yap, Hsu, Hu, Jiang, Fang, Xie, Zhou.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Zhong surname are: F1a, D4, M7b. These most commonly trace back to individuals of East Asian & Indigenous American and European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins O-M1359
Your paternal lineage may be linked to the Han Chinese
Haplogroup O1a is a branch of O-M119, also called O1a. O-M119 and its branches are present in both northern and southern Han Chinese men at low to moderate frequencies, but are most common among the Jiangsu, Shanghai, and Zhejiang southern Han groups. 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. Members of O-M119 belong to a group that has helped to shape the culture of the world's largest ethnic group.
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 Zhong 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.
"Zhong" Surname 25.0%
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.
"Zhong" Surname 35.7%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Zhong" Surname 18.4%
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.
"Zhong" Surname 3.8%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Zhong?
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 Zhong are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition