How Common Is the Last Name Cao?
An estimated 29,886 people in the United States share the surname Cao. That's about 1 in 11,469 Americans. This data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau surname frequency tables.
This page covers the Cao surname's frequency in the U.S. population, its rank among all American surnames, and a breakdown of ancestry and ethnicity data from the Census. You can also check how many people share any first + last name combination involving Cao.
Estimated Americans with this Surname
29,886
About 1 in 11,469 people in the U.S.
Census Rank
#1,324
Frequency Rate
8.72
per 100,000 people
Census Count
26,062
2020 Census
Data Source
2020
U.S. Census Bureau
Ancestry and Ethnicity for Cao
The Cao surname is most commonly associated with people who identify as Asian/Pacific Islander (94.80%). The next largest groups are White (2.16%) and Hispanic (1.45%).
Self-reported race and ethnicity from the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau surname tables. Some categories may be suppressed for privacy when sample sizes are small.
Historical Census Data for Cao
Cao appears in 3 published Census surname releases on this site (2000, 2010, 2020). From 2000 to 2020, the raw count became more common and the per-100,000 rate became more common. Its best published rank was #1,324 in 2020.
Between the 2010 and 2020 census releases, the surname Cao became more common in the United States. Both the raw count and the population-adjusted frequency moved up.
The line to watch most closely is per 100,000 people. That adjusts for overall population growth, so it shows whether Cao became a bigger or smaller share of the country, not just whether the raw count went up.
Census Count Over Time
Raw Census count in each published surname release.
11,106 to 26,062
Per 100,000 Over Time
Population-adjusted frequency, which is usually the cleaner trend line.
4.12 to 8.72
Release-by-release summary
Each row is a published Census surname table for Cao. The change column compares each release to the one before it.
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Change vs prior release | Largest recorded group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,986 | 11,106 | 4.12 | Baseline release | Asian/Pacific Islander (93.73%) |
| 2010 | #1,989 | 18,138 | 6.15 |
Count 48.09%
Rate 39.53% | Asian/Pacific Islander (95.22%) |
| 2020 Latest | #1,324 | 26,062 | 8.72 |
Count 35.86%
Rate 34.56% | Asian/Pacific Islander (94.80%) |
If the raw count rose but the per-100,000 number fell, the surname still became less common relative to the size of the U.S. population. That is why the frequency rate usually tells the clearer story.
Recorded ancestry change
These percentages show how the Census profile for this surname shifted across the published surveys on this site.
| Ancestry | 2020 | 2010 | 2000 | Change Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White | 2.16% | 1.38% | 1.85% | 15.65% |
| Black | 0.33% | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 94.80% | 95.22% | 93.73% | 1.14% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.03% | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Two or More Races | 1.22% | 1.05% | 1.75% | -35.98% |
| Hispanic | 1.45% | 2.12% | 2.32% | -45.88% |
These percentages come from self-reported Census data. They describe how the recorded makeup of people using the surname Cao changed from 2000 through 2020, not the deeper family origin of every bearer of the name.
First Name + Cao Combinations
How many people share a full name with Cao as the last name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Cao Surname: Questions and Answers
How common is the last name Cao?
Cao is the #1,324 most common surname in the United States, with an estimated 29,886 people sharing this last name. It appears at a rate of 8.72 per 100,000 Americans.
Has the surname Cao become more or less common over time?
In the published Census surname tables on this site, Cao moved from 11,106 people in 2000 to 26,062 in 2020. The more important line is the population-adjusted rate, which changed from 4.12 to 8.72 per 100,000.
Why can the raw count go up while the rate per 100,000 goes down?
Because the total U.S. population can grow faster than the surname itself. A surname can have more people in absolute numbers but still make up a smaller share of the country, which is why the per-100,000 figure often tells the clearer story.
What does the ancestry change table show for Cao?
It compares the published Census demographic mix for Cao across releases on this page. That helps you see whether the recorded share of the surname shifted between groups over time, but it still does not tell the full family history of every person with the name.
What does 8.72 per 100,000 mean?
It means that if you picked 100,000 people in the United States at random, about 8.72 of them would have the surname Cao. This is usually the clearest way to compare surnames because it adjusts for the size of the total population.
What ethnicity is the surname Cao?
The Cao surname is most commonly associated with people who identify as Asian/Pacific Islander (94.80%). The next largest groups are White (2.16%) and Hispanic (1.45%). This data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau surname tables, which include self-reported race and ethnicity breakdowns.
Does the ancestry table tell the exact family origin of everyone named Cao?
No. It shows how people with the surname Cao identified in the Census. That is useful context, but it does not prove the deeper family history, nationality, or origin story of every person with the name.
How many people named [First Name] Cao are there?
We can estimate any first + last name combination. Popular examples: Michael Cao, James Cao, John Cao. Search any combination on our homepage.
Where does this surname data come from?
Surname frequency data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau decennial surname tables. These list every surname appearing in the Census along with frequency rates and demographic breakdowns. Full methodology.
Search for a full name combination
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