The Dao surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 11,211 people carried this name — #3,220 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 26,300 people counted. That is up 37% from 8,163 in 2000.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 443 people named Dao.
Most of them — 258 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 24 départements, most often Alpes-Maritimes.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they were born
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
229 people named Dao live in Switzerland.
They live in 14 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Vaud.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they live today
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.
In Argentina’s national register
At least 93 people named Dao live in Argentina.
RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.
In Poland’s population register
75 people named Dao have a registered home in Poland.
Of the 349 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 3 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Masovian.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.
In Belgium’s population register
At least 45 people named Dao live in Belgium.
Statbel only publishes a name in a municipality when five or more people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Brussels-Capital.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Statbel (Statistics Belgium), family names of the population by municipality, 1 January 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
In the Nordic population registers
319 people named Dao are counted in Sweden and Finland.
Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.
Counted, by country
Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown) · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
In print
Dao in American newspapers,
1905–1914.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 116,472 pages in all carry the name.
Who carried it
People named Dao,
with a public archive behind them.
-
Bernadette Sanou Dao 1952– · writer -
Abdoulaye Dao 1956– · filmmaker -
Elisée Jean Dao 1973– · military personnel -
Linh-Lan Dao 1987– · journalist -
Elyess Dao 2006– · association football player -
Dao Tong 1305–1380 · politician
Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons (CC0) · 39 lives in all are documented under this name.
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Dao.
When the index is not enough
This page says where Dao is.
A volume says what happened to it.
Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.