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

Folau, 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 Folau surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Folau in America

Folau is the 90495th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Folau surname appeared 204 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 Folau.

We can also compare 2010 data for Folau 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 Folau

The surname FOLAU originates from the Tongan Islands in the South Pacific. It is believed to have derived from the Tongan word "folau" meaning "to sail" or "to voyage." This suggests that the name may have been given to individuals or families who were seafarers or voyagers by profession or lifestyle.

The earliest recorded instances of the name FOLAU can be traced back to the 16th century, when the Tongan Islands were first documented by European explorers. Records indicate that the name was relatively common among the noble and chiefly families of Tonga during this period.

One notable early bearer of the name was Tui'lekeua Folau, a powerful chief and navigator who lived in the late 16th century. He was renowned for his voyaging skills and knowledge of the stars, which aided in navigation across the vast Pacific Ocean.

In the 18th century, the name FOLAU appears in the records of the Tongan Royal Family. King Tuku'aho Folau, who ruled from 1770 to 1799, was a prominent figure in Tongan history and is credited with unifying the islands under his rule.

Another significant individual with the surname FOLAU was Sione Folau Tuita, a Tongan politician and diplomat who served as the first Prime Minister of Tonga from 1949 to 1965. He played a crucial role in Tonga's transition to a constitutional monarchy and its independence from British rule.

In the 20th century, the name gained wider recognition through the achievements of athletes and public figures. One such individual was Tevita Folau, a Tongan rugby union player who represented Tonga in the 1995 Rugby World Cup. He was born in 1970 and played for various clubs in New Zealand and Europe.

Another notable bearer of the surname was Pita Folau, a Tongan-born New Zealand rugby league player. Born in 1981, he played for several clubs in the National Rugby League (NRL) competition and represented Tonga at the international level.

While the name FOLAU is predominantly found in Tonga and among the Tongan diaspora, it has also been adopted by individuals of other Pacific Island backgrounds, particularly in New Zealand and Australia, where there are large Tongan communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Folau

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

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 Folau 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 Folau 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 Folau was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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