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

Phongsavath, 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 Phongsavath surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Phongsavath in America

Phongsavath is the 69579th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Phongsavath surname appeared 282 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 Phongsavath.

We can also compare 2010 data for Phongsavath 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 Phongsavath

The surname "PHONGSAVATH" originates from Laos, a landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is a Lao ethnic name that likely emerged during the 14th to 16th centuries when the Lao people began establishing their distinct cultural identity separate from their Tai ancestors.

The name "PHONGSAVATH" appears to be derived from the Lao words "phong" and "savath." "Phong" can mean hill, mountain, or high ground, while "savath" is associated with the concept of heaven or paradise. Thus, the name may have initially referred to a person dwelling in a mountainous or elevated region considered a heavenly or idyllic place.

Historical records and manuscripts from the early Lao kingdoms and principalities, such as the Kingdom of Lan Xang, may contain some of the earliest documented instances of the surname "PHONGSAVATH." However, due to the turbulent history of the region and the scarcity of well-preserved ancient documents, specific references are difficult to trace.

One of the earliest known individuals bearing the surname "PHONGSAVATH" was Thao Phongsavath, a prominent Lao military leader and governor who lived in the late 17th century. He played a significant role in the defense of the Siamese-Lao Kingdom against the Burmese invasion of Vientiane in 1688.

Another notable figure was Khun Phongsavath, a respected Buddhist monk and scholar who resided in the city of Luang Prabang during the 18th century. He was renowned for his contributions to the preservation and propagation of Lao literature and Buddhist teachings.

In the 19th century, Thao Phongsavath II was a prominent aristocrat and administrator in the Kingdom of Luang Prabang. He held the title of Chao Mueang, which roughly translates to "Lord of the City," and played a crucial role in the governance of the kingdom during a period of political upheaval.

Towards the end of the 19th century, Khampheng Phongsavath was a celebrated Lao poet and writer who gained recognition for his literary works that captured the essence of Lao culture and traditions.

During the 20th century, Kham-Ouan Phongsavath was a prominent Lao politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Kingdom of Laos in the 1960s. He played a significant role in representing Laos on the international stage during a turbulent period in the country's history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Phongsavath

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

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

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

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