Most Popular Chinese Last Names: Top 10, 20, and 50
Chinese last names often carry deep meanings, historical references, and cultural heritage. Some of these surnames go back thousands of years, passed down from generation to generation. According to research by Lauderdale and Kestenbaum (2000), the most common Chinese surnames in the United States have been ranked by popularity. While name trends may have changed slightly over time, many of these names still remain widely used today.
Top 10 Chinese Last Names
These ten surnames are the most common among Chinese individuals in the U.S. as of the 2000 study. Some of them are also among the most recognized worldwide:
- Wong
- Chen
- Chan
- Wang
- Chang
- Lin
- Wu
- Liu
- Huang
- Li
These surnames are often associated with dynastic history or meanings such as “forest” (Lin), “power” (Wang), or “plum” (Li).
Top 20 Chinese Last Names
Names ranked 11–20 include variations of earlier surnames and reflect a broad cultural and linguistic background, especially among Cantonese-speaking communities:
- Ng
- Yu
- Cheng
- Yee
- Yang
- Chu
- Chin
- Ho
- Lam
- Hsu
Some of these names, like Ng and Hsu, may seem unfamiliar at first but have rich roots in Chinese history.
Top 50 Chinese Last Names
Here are 30 more commonly used Chinese surnames, rounding out the top 50:
- Lau
- Fong
- Leung
- Chow
- Cheung
- Tang
- Lu
- Sun
- Ma
- Zhang
- Chiu
- Lai
- Tam
- Lo
- Tsai
- Liang
- Woo
- Chou
- Hu
- Chiang
- Yuen
- Chao
- Kwan
- Tong
- Shen
- Kuo
- Louie
- Moy
- Eng
- Kwong
Each name represents a family legacy, with some derived from places, occupations, or poetic imagery. Names like Zhang (archer) or Shen (spirit) reflect ancient meanings that connect language, history, and identity.
Learn More About Chinese Culture Through Language
One way to help children understand the richness behind Chinese names and culture is by learning the language itself. Dinolingo offers interactive and fun Chinese lessons for kids, making it easy to introduce young learners to the sounds, characters, and meanings behind words and names.
With videos, games, flashcards, songs, and more, Dinolingo helps children connect with the Chinese language and appreciate its deep cultural roots — including names, family traditions, and storytelling.