2010
#138,304
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Pamatmat
A Filipino surname indicating ancestry from the Pamatmat village or area.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Pamatmat. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pamatmat 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Pamatmat in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pamatmat, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 87.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.3%) and White (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pamatmat
The surname PAMATMAT has its origins in the Philippines. It is a rare surname that is believed to have emerged in the late 18th or early 19th century. While the precise meaning and etymology of the name are unclear, some linguists suggest that it may be derived from an indigenous Tagalog word or phrase, possibly related to the concept of memory or remembrance.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the PAMATMAT surname can be found in a census record from the town of San Miguel, Bulacan, dated 1837. This document lists a family headed by a man named Andres PAMATMAT, who was a farmer. It is possible that this family was among the first to bear the surname in the region.
In the late 19th century, a notable figure named Manuel PAMATMAT was born in Manila in 1875. He was a respected educator and writer who contributed to the development of the Filipino vernacular literature. Manuel PAMATMAT's works included poetry, short stories, and essays, and he was regarded as a pioneer in the promotion of the Tagalog language and culture.
Another individual of note was Josefa PAMATMAT, born in 1892 in the province of Pampanga. She was a renowned midwife and traditional healer who was widely respected for her knowledge of indigenous medicinal practices. Josefa PAMATMAT played a significant role in preserving and passing down traditional healing methods to future generations.
In the early 20th century, a man named Juan PAMATMAT gained recognition as a skilled artisan and woodcarver. Born in 1905 in the town of Paete, Laguna, he was renowned for his intricate and beautifully crafted religious sculptures and figurines. Juan PAMATMAT's works were highly sought after and can be found in churches and private collections throughout the Philippines.
Furthermore, historical records indicate that a prominent figure named Carlos PAMATMAT served as a local official in the town of Calamba, Laguna, in the 1930s. He was respected for his dedication to public service and his efforts to improve the lives of the townspeople.
While the PAMATMAT surname remains relatively uncommon, it has a rich history deeply rooted in the Philippines. The individuals mentioned above represent just a few examples of those who have carried this surname with distinction and contributed to the cultural and historical tapestry of the nation.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pamatmat
Among Census respondents with the surname Pamatmat, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 87.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.3%) and White (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Pamatmat 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 Pamatmat surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander87.3% · 103
- Two or more races9.3% · 11
- White3.4% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pamatmat
Pamatmat appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-3 bearers (-2.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,207 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #138,304 | 121 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -3 bearers (-2.5%) | Down 5,207 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 Pamatmat 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 | #138,304 | #143,511 | -3.8% |
| Count | 121 | 118 | -2.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pamatmat bearers went from 121 to 118 (-2.5% change). The surname moved down 5,207 positions in the national ranking, going from #138,304 to #143,511.
FAQ
Pamatmat surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pamatmat?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Pamatmat. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Pamatmat?
Pamatmat ranks #143,511 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 118 people with the surname Pamatmat. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), 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 Pamatmat.
Has Pamatmat become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pamatmat went from 121 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #138,304 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Pamatmat?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pamatmat, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 87.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.3%) and White (3.4%). 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 Pamatmat in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.3% (103 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pamatmat appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (87.3%), Two or More Races (9.3%), White (3.4%). 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 Pamatmat (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 Pamatmat mean?
A Filipino surname indicating ancestry from the Pamatmat village or area. 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 Pamatmat (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 have the last name Pamatmat?
Want to know how common the surname Pamatmat is? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.