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

Lavatai, 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 Lavatai surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lavatai in America

Lavatai is the 108199th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lavatai surname appeared 164 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 Lavatai.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lavatai 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 Lavatai

The surname LAVATAI is of Samoan origin and first emerged in the late 18th century. It is believed to be derived from the Samoan words "lava" meaning "volcanic" and "tai" meaning "coastal area" or "shoreline." This suggests the name may have initially referred to a family or group residing near volcanic activity near the coastline of Samoa.

The earliest known record of the LAVATAI name dates back to 1792, when it appeared in a registry of village chiefs on the island of Savai'i. During this time, Samoa was still primarily organized into chiefdoms and family groups, with surnames often denoting clan affiliations or geographic origins.

In the 1830s, the LAVATAI name appeared in a missionary journal documenting the spread of Christianity in Samoa. This entry mentioned a LAVATAI family that had converted and provided shelter to the missionaries during their travels.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the LAVATAI surname was Toa LAVATAI, born in 1865 and a renowned orator and advisor to the high chiefs of Samoa in the late 19th century. His oratory skills and wisdom in traditional Samoan customs made him a respected figure during a period of political upheaval and cultural change.

Another prominent LAVATAI was Fiapaleni LAVATAI, born in 1892, who served as a member of the Samoan Fono (Council) and played a crucial role in the negotiations with New Zealand during the establishment of Samoa as a trust territory in the early 20th century.

In the early 1900s, the LAVATAI name also appeared in records of Samoan migrants to the United States, particularly in areas with large Samoan communities such as Hawaii and California. One notable individual from this era was Sione LAVATAI, born in 1910, who became a successful businessman in Honolulu and was actively involved in promoting Samoan culture and traditions.

During the 20th century, the LAVATAI surname continued to be well-represented in various fields, including academia, politics, and the arts. For instance, Malia LAVATAI, born in 1948, was a renowned Samoan writer and poet whose works explored themes of identity, culture, and the impact of colonization.

Throughout its history, the LAVATAI name has maintained a strong connection to Samoan heritage and roots, with many individuals bearing this surname making significant contributions to the preservation and promotion of Samoan culture and traditions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lavatai

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

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

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

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