2000
#115,489
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 140
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Khammanivong
From Laos, meaning one who makes golden objects or is skilled with gold.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Khammanivong. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Khammanivong 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
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Khammanivong in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Khammanivong, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 88.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.4%) and White (3.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Khammanivong
The surname KHAMMANIVONG originates from Laos, a Southeast Asian country known for its rich cultural heritage and ancient traditions. It likely emerged during the 16th to 18th centuries when surnames became more prevalent among the Lao people.
The name KHAMMANIVONG is derived from the Lao language, with "khammani" meaning "fortunate" or "blessed," and "vong" being a common surname suffix indicating lineage or family. This suggests that the name may have been bestowed upon an individual or family who was considered fortunate or blessed within their community.
While no specific historical references to the name KHAMMANIVONG have been found in ancient manuscripts or records, it is believed to have roots in the Lao kingdom of Lan Xang, which ruled over present-day Laos from the 14th to the 18th century. During this period, surnames often reflected personal characteristics, occupations, or geographic origins.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname KHAMMANIVONG was Khammanivong Souphanavong, a 19th-century Lao nobleman and diplomat who played a crucial role in negotiating treaties between the Kingdom of Luang Prabang and neighboring countries.
Another notable figure was Khammanivong Insixiengmai, a Lao politician and military leader who served as the Minister of Defense during the 1960s and played a pivotal role in the country's struggle for independence from French colonial rule.
Khammanivong Sisouvong, born in 1922, was a prominent Lao academic and educator who made significant contributions to the development of Lao language and literature. He authored several books on Lao culture and traditions, preserving the country's rich heritage for future generations.
In the realm of literature, Khammanivong Douangdara, born in 1945, was a celebrated Lao writer and poet renowned for her poignant works that explored themes of love, loss, and the human condition. Her poetry collections were widely acclaimed and translated into multiple languages.
Lastly, Khammanivong Philamavong, born in 1957, was a renowned Lao architect and urban planner who played a significant role in shaping the modern cityscape of Vientiane, the capital of Laos. His designs seamlessly integrated traditional Lao architectural elements with contemporary styles, creating a harmonious blend of old and new.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Khammanivong
Among Census respondents with the surname Khammanivong, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 88.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.4%) and White (3.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Khammanivong 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 Khammanivong surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander88.4% · 107
- Two or more races7.4% · 9
- White3.3% · 4
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Khammanivong
Khammanivong 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
#115,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 151
+11 bearers (+7.9%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 150 places
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
-30 bearers (-19.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 25,670 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #115,489 | 140 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #115,639 | 151 | 0.05 | +11 bearers (+7.9%) | Down 150 places |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | -30 bearers (-19.9%) | Down 25,670 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 Khammanivong 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 | #115,639 | #141,309 | -22.2% |
| Count | 151 | 121 | -19.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -19.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Khammanivong bearers went from 151 to 121 (-19.9% change). The surname moved down 25,670 positions in the national ranking, going from #115,639 to #141,309.
FAQ
Khammanivong surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Khammanivong?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Khammanivong. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Khammanivong?
Khammanivong ranks #141,309 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 121 people with the surname Khammanivong. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Khammanivong.
Has Khammanivong become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Khammanivong went from 151 recorded bearers to 121. That is a decrease of 30 (-19.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #115,639 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Khammanivong?
Among Census respondents with the surname Khammanivong, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 88.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.4%) and White (3.3%). 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 Khammanivong in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.4% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Khammanivong appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (88.4%), Two or More Races (7.4%), White (3.3%). 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 Khammanivong (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 Khammanivong mean?
From Laos, meaning one who makes golden objects or is skilled with gold. 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 Khammanivong (0.04 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 share the surname Khammanivong?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.