2010
#132,206
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 128
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Phonesavanh
A surname of Laotian origin indicating a person's origin or residence from a village or place named Phonesavanh.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Phonesavanh. 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 Phonesavanh 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 Phonesavanh 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 Phonesavanh, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 83.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.2%) and White (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Phonesavanh
The surname PHONESAVANH is believed to have originated in Laos, a landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is a combination of two Lao words, "pho" meaning "male" and "nesavanh" meaning "emerald field" or "green meadow." The name likely emerged during the 14th or 15th century when surnames became more common in Laotian society.
The earliest known records of the PHONESAVANH name can be traced back to the 16th century, where it appears in several ancient manuscripts and chronicles from the Lao Kingdom of Lan Xang. It was primarily associated with families living in the fertile regions along the Mekong River and its tributaries, known for their rich agricultural lands and verdant landscapes.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the PHONESAVANH surname was Khamphan PHONESAVANH, a revered Buddhist monk and scholar who lived in the late 16th century. He is credited with translating several important religious texts from the ancient Pali language into the Lao script, helping to preserve and spread Buddhist teachings throughout the region.
In the 18th century, Khamchan PHONESAVANH, a skilled artisan and architect, gained recognition for his contributions to the construction of several iconic Buddhist temples and royal palaces in the former capital city of Vientiane. His intricate woodcarvings and architectural designs are still celebrated as prime examples of traditional Lao craftsmanship.
During the 19th century, Thao PHONESAVANH, a renowned military leader and strategist, played a crucial role in the resistance against the Siamese (Thai) invasions of Laos. His tactical acumen and leadership skills were instrumental in preserving the sovereignty of the Lao Kingdom during a turbulent period of its history.
In the early 20th century, Kham-Ouan PHONESAVANH, a prominent politician and diplomat, represented Laos at various international forums and played a vital role in the country's struggle for independence from French colonial rule. He is widely regarded as one of the key architects of modern Lao nationalism.
Another notable figure with the PHONESAVANH surname was Maha PHONESAVANH, a celebrated Lao writer and poet who lived in the mid-20th century. His works, which often explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition, are considered some of the finest examples of modern Lao literature and are widely studied in schools and universities across the country.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Phonesavanh
Among Census respondents with the surname Phonesavanh, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 83.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.2%) and White (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Phonesavanh 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 Phonesavanh surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander83.9% · 99
- Two or more races10.2% · 12
- White3.4% · 4
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Phonesavanh
Phonesavanh 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
-10 bearers (-7.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,305 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #132,206 | 128 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -10 bearers (-7.8%) | Down 11,305 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 Phonesavanh 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 | #132,206 | #143,511 | -8.6% |
| Count | 128 | 118 | -7.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Phonesavanh bearers went from 128 to 118 (-7.8% change). The surname moved down 11,305 positions in the national ranking, going from #132,206 to #143,511.
FAQ
Phonesavanh surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Phonesavanh?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Phonesavanh. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Phonesavanh?
Phonesavanh 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 Phonesavanh. 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 Phonesavanh.
Has Phonesavanh become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Phonesavanh went from 128 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 10 (-7.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #132,206 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Phonesavanh?
Among Census respondents with the surname Phonesavanh, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 83.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.2%) 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 Phonesavanh in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.9% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Phonesavanh appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (83.9%), Two or More Races (10.2%), 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 Phonesavanh (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 Phonesavanh mean?
A surname of Laotian origin indicating a person's origin or residence from a village or place named Phonesavanh. 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 Phonesavanh (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 are called Phonesavanh?
If you just want to know how many people have the last name Phonesavanh, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.