Find out how popular the last name Faso is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Faso.

Faso, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Faso surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Faso in America

Faso is the 40856th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Faso surname appeared 534 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Faso.

We can also compare 2010 data for Faso to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Faso

The surname FASO is believed to have originated in the West African country of Burkina Faso, formerly known as Upper Volta, during the colonial era. It is thought to be derived from the Mossi language word "fa-soogo," which translates to "father of the horses" or "owner of the horses." This suggests that the name may have originated from a prominent family or individual involved in the trading or breeding of horses in the region.

Historically, the Mossi people of Burkina Faso were known for their skilled horsemanship and their role in the trans-Saharan trade routes. As such, the FASO name could be linked to this cultural and economic significance of horses in the region.

Early records of the FASO name can be traced back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, during the French colonial period in West Africa. One of the earliest documented individuals with this surname was Oumarou FASO, a Mossi chief and local leader who played a significant role in the resistance against French colonial rule in the late 1800s.

Another notable figure with the FASO name was Sawadogo FASO, a prominent Mossi merchant and trader who lived in the early 20th century. He was known for his extensive trade networks and his involvement in the regional economy.

In more recent history, Jean-Baptiste FASO (1930-2010) was a Burkinabé politician and diplomat who served as the country's ambassador to several nations, including France and the United States.

Marie FASO (1945-2021) was a celebrated Burkinabé author and poet, known for her works that explored themes of identity, cultural heritage, and the experiences of women in West Africa.

Pascal FASO (1962-present) is a contemporary Burkinabé artist and sculptor, whose works have been exhibited internationally and have received critical acclaim for their unique style and representation of traditional Mossi culture.

It is important to note that while the FASO name is predominantly associated with Burkina Faso and the Mossi people, it may also be found in other parts of West Africa due to migration and cultural exchange over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Faso

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Faso.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Faso was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Faso has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Faso was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Faso, please contact us.

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