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

Palapa, 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 Palapa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Palapa in America

Palapa is the 104602nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Palapa surname appeared 171 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 Palapa.

The history of the last name Palapa

The surname PALAPA has its origins in the Philippines, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Tagalog word "palapa," which refers to a type of thatched roof or hut made from dried palm leaves. This name likely originated in the coastal regions of the Philippines, where such structures were commonly used as shelter by the indigenous people.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the PALAPA surname can be found in the Spanish colonial records from the Philippines during the 16th and 17th centuries. These documents often listed the names of locals who interacted with the Spanish authorities or worked for the colonial administration.

In the 18th century, a notable figure bearing the PALAPA surname was Juan PALAPA, a Filipino revolutionary who participated in the revolt against the Spanish colonial rule in the late 1700s. While the exact dates of his birth and death are unknown, his involvement in the struggle for independence has been documented in historical accounts.

Another individual of note was Maria PALAPA, a prominent landowner and philanthropist in the 19th century Philippines. She was born in 1825 and was known for her contributions to the education of underprivileged children in her local community.

In the early 20th century, a literary figure named Carlos PALAPA gained recognition for his poetry and writings that celebrated Filipino culture and heritage. He was born in 1895 and published several anthologies of poems throughout his lifetime.

During the mid-20th century, a Filipino politician named Pedro PALAPA served as a member of the Philippine Senate from 1946 to 1957. He played a significant role in shaping the country's post-independence policies and advocating for the rights of marginalized communities.

While the PALAPA surname originated in the Philippines, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and intermarriage. However, its roots can be traced back to the Tagalog language and the traditional palm-leaf structures that were once integral to the lives of the indigenous people in the archipelago.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Palapa

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

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 Palapa 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.

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

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

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