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

Keovilay, 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 Keovilay surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Keovilay in America

Keovilay is the 98553rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Keovilay surname appeared 184 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 Keovilay.

We can also compare 2010 data for Keovilay 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 Keovilay

The surname KEOVILAY is of Lao origin, originating from the landlocked country of Laos in Southeast Asia. It is believed to have emerged in the 14th or 15th century, during the Lan Xang Kingdom period.

KEOVILAY is likely derived from a combination of Lao words, with "Keo" meaning "crystal" or "glass," and "Vilay" potentially referring to a place name or a descriptive term related to the natural environment. This name may have initially been given to individuals who lived near a body of water with crystal-clear waters or worked with glassmaking or related crafts.

Early records of the KEOVILAY surname are scarce due to the region's turbulent history and limited written documentation from that era. However, some historians have found references to individuals bearing this name in ancient palm-leaf manuscripts and stone inscriptions from the Lan Xang Kingdom period.

One of the earliest known bearers of the KEOVILAY surname was Thao Keovilay, a respected village chief who lived in the late 16th century in the Vientiane region of present-day Laos. Thao Keovilay was renowned for his wisdom and leadership during a time of political unrest.

Another notable figure was Nang Keovilay, a skilled weaver and artisan who lived in the early 18th century. Her intricate textile designs, often incorporating crystal or glass beads, were highly sought after by the nobility of the Lan Xang Kingdom.

In the 19th century, Souk Keovilay was a prominent trader who facilitated the exchange of goods along the Mekong River. His business acumen and knowledge of the region's waterways contributed to the growth of trade networks in Southeast Asia.

During the French colonial period in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Khamla Keovilay was a respected scholar and educator. He played a crucial role in preserving traditional Lao culture and literature while also embracing modern educational approaches introduced by the French.

In more recent times, Khampha Keovilay was a celebrated Lao artist known for his vibrant paintings depicting rural life and the natural beauty of Laos. His works, which often featured crystalline rivers and waterfalls, garnered international recognition and helped to promote Lao art on a global stage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Keovilay

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

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

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

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