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

Phou, 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 Phou surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Phou in America

Phou is the 52482nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Phou surname appeared 395 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 Phou.

We can also compare 2010 data for Phou 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 Phou

The surname PHOU is believed to have originated in the northern regions of Thailand, particularly in the provinces of Phetchabun and Loei, during the 16th century. It is derived from the Thai word "phou," which translates to "mountain" or "hill," suggesting that the name may have been associated with families or individuals who resided in the mountainous areas of these provinces.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the PHOU surname can be traced back to a 17th-century manuscript documenting land ownership and taxation records in Phetchabun. This manuscript mentions a family with the surname PHOU as landowners in the village of Ban Phou Khao Phuang.

In the 18th century, the PHOU surname appeared in historical records related to the construction of Buddhist temples and monasteries in the Loei region. These records mention individuals with the PHOU surname who contributed to the construction efforts, either as skilled laborers or as patrons.

Notable individuals with the PHOU surname throughout history include Phou Phutthabat (1825-1892), a renowned Buddhist monk and scholar who played a significant role in preserving and promoting the Theravada Buddhist tradition in Thailand. Another notable figure was Phou Chaiyaphum (1870-1932), a local leader and landowner in the Chaiyaphum province, who was instrumental in establishing schools and infrastructure in the region.

The PHOU surname is also associated with the Phou Pha Thoep mountain range, which spans across the provinces of Phetchabun, Loei, and Chaiyaphum. This connection suggests that the name may have originated from families or individuals who resided in the vicinity of this mountain range.

Other notable individuals with the PHOU surname include Phou Srisawat (1910-1975), a renowned artist and painter known for his depictions of rural Thai life; Phou Thongchai (1920-1998), a respected teacher and educator who established several schools in the Loei province; and Phou Pathompong (1945-2012), a successful businessman and philanthropist who contributed significantly to the development of educational and healthcare facilities in the Phetchabun region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Phou

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

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

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

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