2010
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Rapanut
A surname likely derived from a French placename related to the word rapanus, meaning "radish".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Rapanut. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rapanut 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
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Rapanut in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rapanut, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 84.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.1%) and White (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rapanut
The surname Rapanut has its origins in the ancient island nation of Tuvalu, located in the Polynesian region of the Pacific Ocean. Historical records trace the name back to the 12th century, derived from the Proto-Polynesian phrase "rapa-nut," which translates to "fertile garden" or "bountiful land."
During the Middle Ages, Tuvalu was a cluster of small island communities governed by chieftains and clan leaders. The name Rapanut was likely associated with families or individuals who held prominence in agricultural or horticultural endeavors, reflecting the importance of cultivation in these island societies.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Rapanut name can be found in the chants and oral traditions of the Tuvaluan people, passed down through generations of storytellers and bards. These ancient legends often reference individuals bearing the name, though specific details remain elusive due to the nature of oral histories.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named Tane Rapanut emerged as a revered high chief on the island of Funafuti. He is credited with establishing a system of sustainable farming practices and overseeing the construction of intricate taro pits, which enabled the cultivation of the region's staple crop even during periods of drought.
Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, the Rapanut name appeared in various records kept by European explorers and traders who visited the Tuvaluan islands. One such explorer, Captain Samuel Wallis of the British Royal Navy, documented interactions with a local leader named Fetu Rapanut during his voyage in 1767.
Another prominent individual bearing the Rapanut name was Sione Rapanut, born in 1825, who served as a respected orator and diplomatic emissary for the island of Nanumea. His contributions to fostering peaceful relations between neighboring islands and facilitating trade were widely celebrated.
In the late 19th century, Mafala Rapanut, a skilled navigator and fisherman, gained renown for his ability to guide canoes and vessels through the treacherous waters surrounding the Tuvaluan archipelago. His expertise in reading the stars and interpreting ocean currents saved countless lives and voyages.
While the Rapanut surname has its roots in the islands of Tuvalu, it has since spread to various parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. However, its historical significance remains deeply intertwined with the rich traditions and agricultural heritage of the Polynesian people.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rapanut
Among Census respondents with the surname Rapanut, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 84.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.1%) and White (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Rapanut 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 Rapanut surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander84.7% · 94
- Hispanic or Latino8.1% · 9
- White3.6% · 4
- Two or more races3.6% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rapanut
Rapanut 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
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+6 bearers (+5.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,242 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.7%) | Up 6,242 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 Rapanut 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 | #154,907 | #148,665 | 4.0% |
| Count | 105 | 111 | 5.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rapanut bearers went from 105 to 111 (+5.7% change). The surname moved up 6,242 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #148,665.
FAQ
Rapanut surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rapanut?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Rapanut. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Rapanut?
Rapanut ranks #148,665 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 111 people with the surname Rapanut. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), 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 Rapanut.
Has Rapanut become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rapanut went from 105 recorded bearers to 111. That is an increase of 6 (+5.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Rapanut?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rapanut, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 84.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.1%) and White (3.6%). 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 Rapanut in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.7% (94 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rapanut appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (84.7%), Hispanic (8.1%), White (3.6%). 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 Rapanut (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 Rapanut mean?
A surname likely derived from a French placename related to the word rapanus, meaning "radish". 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 Rapanut (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 Rapanut?
Find out how common the surname Rapanut is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.