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

Fotu, 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 Fotu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fotu in America

Fotu is the 96799th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fotu surname appeared 188 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 Fotu.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fotu 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 Fotu

The surname FOTU has its origins in the Polynesian islands of the South Pacific, particularly in the Samoan archipelago. It is believed to have emerged sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century, derived from the Samoan word "fotu" which means "to rise" or "to emerge."

The earliest known references to the FOTU surname can be traced back to the village of Salelologa on the island of Savai'i, where it was traditionally associated with families involved in fishing and seafaring. The name may have initially been bestowed upon individuals who demonstrated exceptional skills in navigating the treacherous waters of the Pacific or in the art of crafting traditional outrigger canoes.

In the annals of Samoan oral history, the FOTU name is mentioned in connection with the legendary voyages of the Polynesian navigators who, guided by the stars and the patterns of ocean currents, explored and settled remote islands across the vast expanse of the Pacific. One notable figure bearing this surname was Fotu Talamatai, a skilled navigator from the 17th century who is credited with leading a group of voyagers to the islands of Tuvalu.

The FOTU surname began to spread beyond Samoa in the early 20th century as Samoans migrated to other parts of the Pacific, particularly to New Zealand and Hawaii. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname in New Zealand was Sione FOTU, born in 1892 in Samoa, who settled in Auckland and worked as a merchant sailor.

Another prominent figure was Alipati FOTU, a Samoan chief and orator who lived from 1868 to 1945. He played a significant role in preserving and promoting traditional Samoan culture and was renowned for his eloquence and wisdom in resolving disputes through oratory.

As the Samoan diaspora grew, the FOTU name also found its way to other parts of the world, carried by individuals seeking new opportunities or fleeing conflicts. One notable example is Logomai FOTU, a Samoan-born artist and sculptor who settled in Australia and gained recognition for his works capturing the vibrant Polynesian cultural heritage.

While the FOTU surname may not be as widely recognized as some other Polynesian names, it carries a rich history and a connection to the ancient maritime traditions of the Pacific islanders, who were among the greatest navigators and explorers of their time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fotu

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

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

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

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