Explore the Family Name Zu
The meaning of Zu
Chinese: 1. Mandarin form of the surname 祖, meaning ‘ancestors’ in Chinese: (i) from the first element of the personal names Zu Jia (祖甲), Zu Yi (祖乙), Zu Xin (祖辛), Zu Ding (祖丁), and Zu Geng (祖庚), personal names of several kings during the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). (ii) from the first element of the personal names of Zu Ji (祖己) and Zu Yin (祖尹), who were descendants of an official called Zhong Hui who lived some time during the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). 2. Mandarin form of the surname 俎, meaning ‘sacrificial utensil’ in ancient Chinese: (i) adopted as a surname by the Bao Zu (鮑俎) family from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD). (ii) said to be adopted by the fourth son of the uncle of the famous general Yue Fei (1103–42 AD), who changed the original surname Zhu (祝) to Zu (俎) in order to escape from political persecutions.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Zu in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Zu has seen a significant increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 103,193 in terms of popularity but jumped to 70,833 by 2010 - a change of over 31%. The overall count of individuals with this last name also rose from 161 to 276, demonstrating an impressive growth rate of 71.43%. The proportion of individuals named Zu per 100,000 people also increased by 50%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #103,193 | #70,833 | 31.36% |
| Count | 161 | 276 | 71.43% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.06 | 0.09 | 50% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Zu
The ethnicity associated with the surname Zu is predominantly Asian/Pacific Islander, according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. Despite a slight decrease from 91.93% in 2000 to 91.3% in 2010, this group still comprises the vast majority. Over the same period, the proportion of individuals identified as White saw an increase from 3.73% to 5.07%. There was also a new appearance of Hispanic ethnic identity tied to the surname Zu in 2010, which was absent in 2000. However, there were no changes for those identifying as two or more races, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 91.93% | 91.3% | -0.69% |
| White | 3.73% | 5.07% | 35.92% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 1.81% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |