2010
#157,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Abayan
A Filipino surname referring to a person who came from the town of Abayan in Bohol, Philippines.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 141 Americans carry the last name Abayan. That puts it at #139,785 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,430,882 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Abayan surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
141
1 in 2,430,882
Census rank
#139,785
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
123
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 123 bearers of the surname Abayan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 139785th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Abayan, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 68.3%. The next largest groups are White (13.0%) and Two or More Races (8.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Abayan
The surname Abayan originates from the Philippines and is believed to have roots dating back to the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Tagalog word "abayan," meaning "to shelter" or "to protect," suggesting that the name may have been given to individuals who provided refuge or protection to others in times of need.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Abayan can be found in the historical records of the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines. In the late 16th century, a man named Juan Abayan was documented as a prominent landowner in the province of Batangas. It is speculated that his descendants may have adopted the surname, contributing to its widespread use across the region.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the name Abayan appeared in various documents and records related to land ownership, tax records, and legal proceedings. Notable individuals bearing this surname during this period include Mariano Abayan, a respected community leader in the town of Taal in the early 1800s, and Catalina Abayan, a renowned educator and advocate for women's rights in the late 19th century.
As the Philippines transitioned into the 20th century, several prominent figures with the surname Abayan emerged. One such individual was Manuel Abayan, a renowned writer and poet born in 1914, whose literary works explored themes of nationalism and social justice. Another notable figure was Josefa Abayan, a pioneering female physician born in 1892, who contributed significantly to improving healthcare access in rural communities.
In more recent history, the name Abayan has been associated with several influential individuals in various fields. Carlos Abayan, born in 1935, was a respected diplomat and ambassador who served in various international assignments. Lourdes Abayan, born in 1949, is a prominent economist and academic who has held leadership positions in various international organizations.
While the surname Abayan is primarily concentrated in the Philippines, it has also been found in other parts of the world, likely due to migration and diaspora communities. However, its origins can be traced back to the rich cultural and linguistic heritage of the Philippine archipelago, reflecting the diverse and fascinating histories of surnames in this region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Abayan
Among Census respondents with the surname Abayan, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 68.3%. The next largest groups are White (13.0%) and Two or More Races (8.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Abayan bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Abayan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander68.3% · 84
- White13.0% · 16
- Two or more races8.9% · 11
- Hispanic or Latino6.5% · 8
- Black or African American3.3% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Abayan
Abayan appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#139,785
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
+20 bearers (+19.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 17,449 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #139,785 | 123 | 0.04 | +20 bearers (+19.4%) | Up 17,449 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Abayan surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #157,234 | #139,785 | 11.1% |
| Count | 103 | 123 | 19.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 37.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Abayan bearers went from 103 to 123 (+19.4% change). The surname moved up 17,449 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #139,785.
FAQ
Abayan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Abayan?
Name Census estimates that about 141 living Americans carry the surname Abayan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,430,882 residents.
How common is Abayan?
Abayan ranks #139,785 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 123 people with the surname Abayan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (141), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Abayan.
Has Abayan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Abayan went from 103 recorded bearers to 123. That is an increase of 20 (+19.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #139,785.
What does the Census say about the background of Abayan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Abayan, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 68.3%. The next largest groups are White (13.0%) and Two or More Races (8.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Abayan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 68.3% (84 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Abayan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (68.3%), White (13.0%), Two or More Races (8.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Abayan (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Abayan mean?
A Filipino surname referring to a person who came from the town of Abayan in Bohol, Philippines. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Abayan (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Abayan?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.