2000
#125,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Faamausili
A Samoan surname denoting someone from the village of Faamausili.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 226 Americans carry the last name Faamausili. That puts it at #98,501 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.07 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,516,612 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Faamausili 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
226
1 in 1,516,612
Census rank
#98,501
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
197
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 197 bearers of the surname Faamausili in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.07 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 98501st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Faamausili, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 70.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (14.7%) and Hispanic (11.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Faamausili
The surname "FAAMAUSILI" is of Samoan origin, originating from the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean during the 18th century. The name is derived from the Samoan words "faa" meaning "to do" or "to make" and "mausili" meaning "to be modest" or "to be humble."
The earliest recorded use of the surname can be traced back to the village of Falefa on the island of Upolu, Samoa. It is believed that the name was first adopted by a family who was known for their humble and modest demeanor within the community.
In the late 19th century, there are records of a prominent chief named Faamausili Aloalii who played a significant role in the political affairs of Samoa during the Samoan Civil War. He was a respected leader and diplomat, known for his efforts in maintaining peace and unity among the warring factions.
Another notable figure bearing the surname was Faamausili Tofaeono, a renowned Samoan artist and woodcarver who lived in the early 20th century. His intricate woodcarvings and traditional tatau designs were highly regarded and are now preserved in various museums and cultural institutions.
During the mid-20th century, a Samoan scholar named Faamausili Iofi made significant contributions to the preservation and documentation of Samoan language and culture. His research and writings on Samoan oral traditions, customs, and genealogies have been invaluable resources for future generations.
In more recent times, Faamausili Laupepa, born in 1945, has been a prominent figure in Samoan politics, serving as a member of the Samoan Parliament and holding various ministerial positions throughout his career.
While the surname "FAAMAUSILI" is not as widespread as some other Samoan surnames, it has a rich history and cultural significance, reflecting the values of humility, modesty, and respect that are deeply ingrained in the Samoan way of life.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Faamausili
Among Census respondents with the surname Faamausili, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 70.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (14.7%) and Hispanic (11.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Faamausili 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 Faamausili surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander70.1% · 138
- Two or more races14.7% · 29
- Hispanic or Latino11.7% · 23
- White3.0% · 6
- Black or African American0.5% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Faamausili
Faamausili appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#101,247
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 178
+52 bearers (+41.3%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Up 24,392 places
2020
#98,501
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 197
+19 bearers (+10.7%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Up 2,746 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #125,639 | 126 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #101,247 | 178 | 0.06 | +52 bearers (+41.3%) | Up 24,392 places |
| 2020 | #98,501 | 197 | 0.07 | +19 bearers (+10.7%) | Up 2,746 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 Faamausili 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 | #101,247 | #98,501 | 2.7% |
| Count | 178 | 197 | 10.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.07 | 9.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Faamausili bearers went from 178 to 197 (+10.7% change). The surname moved up 2,746 positions in the national ranking, going from #101,247 to #98,501.
FAQ
Faamausili surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Faamausili?
Name Census estimates that about 226 living Americans carry the surname Faamausili. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,516,612 residents.
How common is Faamausili?
Faamausili ranks #98,501 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.07 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 197 people with the surname Faamausili. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (226), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.07 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.07 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 Faamausili.
Has Faamausili become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Faamausili went from 178 recorded bearers to 197. That is an increase of 19 (+10.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #101,247 to #98,501.
What does the Census say about the background of Faamausili?
Among Census respondents with the surname Faamausili, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 70.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (14.7%) and Hispanic (11.7%). 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 Faamausili in the 2020 Census, accounting for 70.1% (138 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Faamausili appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (70.1%), Two or More Races (14.7%), Hispanic (11.7%). 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 Faamausili (2000, 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 Faamausili mean?
A Samoan surname denoting someone from the village of Faamausili. 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 Faamausili (0.07 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 have the surname Faamausili?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.