Surname · Chinese origin
Gao
Meaning
The surname Gao means Tall, high (高).
Origin
Chinese
Type
clan name
U.S. rank (2010)
#5,866
U.S. bearers (2010)
5,405
How common is it?
Gao ranks #5,866 among U.S. surnames (2010 U.S. Census), recorded for about 5,405 people.
The origin of the surname Gao
Gao is the character 高, “tall” or “high.”
How Chinese surnames work
Chinese surnames — the “family name” — come first, before the given name, and a relatively small set of names is shared by enormous numbers of people (Wang, Li and Zhang are among the most common surnames on earth). Each is written with a single Chinese character carrying its own meaning, and many trace back thousands of years to ancient clans, states, noble titles or places. The character is the surname, so its meaning is fixed by the specific hanzi.
Variants & spellings
- Kao
Frequently asked questions
What does the surname Gao mean?
The surname Gao means Tall, high (高). Gao is the character 高, “tall” or “high.”
Where does the surname Gao come from?
Gao is a surname of Chinese origin.
What kind of surname is Gao?
Gao is a clan name surname.
How common is the surname Gao in the United States?
Gao ranks #5,866 among U.S. surnames (2010 U.S. Census), recorded for about 5,405 people.