2000
#134,037
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Ratsavong
A surname of Lao origin meaning "royal dignity" or "royal-born".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Ratsavong. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ratsavong 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
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Ratsavong in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ratsavong, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 87.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.3%) and White (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ratsavong
The surname Ratsavong has its origins in Laos, a landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is a Lao name that likely emerged during the medieval period, when various kingdoms and principalities existed in the region.
One possible origin of the name Ratsavong could be from the Lao words "rat" meaning "kingdom" or "state," and "savong" which may have been a place name or a reference to a specific location. It's plausible that the name was initially associated with individuals who hailed from a particular region or settlement within the territories of ancient Lao kingdoms.
Historical records mentioning the surname Ratsavong are scarce, as the written documentation of Lao names and genealogies was not a common practice in the past. However, some early references to individuals bearing this name may have existed in local chronicles or administrative documents of the time.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Ratsavong was Thao Ratsavong, a prominent military leader who lived in the 16th century. He played a crucial role in the defense of the Lan Xang Kingdom against invading forces from neighboring regions.
Another notable figure was Khamkhuan Ratsavong, a renowned craftsman and artisan who lived during the 17th century. He was renowned for his intricate wood carvings and architectural designs, many of which adorned temples and palaces in the ancient capital of Vientiane.
In the 19th century, Thongkham Ratsavong was a respected scholar and writer who contributed to the preservation of Lao literature and traditional knowledge. His works provided valuable insights into the cultural and linguistic heritage of Laos.
During the 20th century, Khampheng Ratsavong gained prominence as a political leader and advocate for Lao independence. He played a pivotal role in the struggle against French colonial rule and was instrumental in the establishment of modern Laos.
Another notable figure was Somvang Ratsavong, a renowned painter and artist who lived in the late 20th century. His vibrant depictions of Lao rural life and landscapes earned him international acclaim and helped preserve the visual heritage of his homeland.
While the surname Ratsavong may have evolved or been spelled differently in various local dialects and historical records, it has endured as a distinct Lao name, carrying with it the cultural and historical significance of its origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ratsavong
Among Census respondents with the surname Ratsavong, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 87.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.3%) and White (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Ratsavong 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 Ratsavong surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander87.5% · 98
- Hispanic or Latino6.3% · 7
- White3.6% · 4
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ratsavong
Ratsavong appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#129,047
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 132
+16 bearers (+13.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,990 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-20 bearers (-15.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 18,907 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,037 | 116 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #129,047 | 132 | 0.04 | +16 bearers (+13.8%) | Up 4,990 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | -20 bearers (-15.2%) | Down 18,907 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 Ratsavong 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 | #129,047 | #147,954 | -14.7% |
| Count | 132 | 112 | -15.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ratsavong bearers went from 132 to 112 (-15.2% change). The surname moved down 18,907 positions in the national ranking, going from #129,047 to #147,954.
FAQ
Ratsavong surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ratsavong?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Ratsavong. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Ratsavong?
Ratsavong ranks #147,954 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 112 people with the surname Ratsavong. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), 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 Ratsavong.
Has Ratsavong become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ratsavong went from 132 recorded bearers to 112. That is a decrease of 20 (-15.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #129,047 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Ratsavong?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ratsavong, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 87.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.3%) 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 Ratsavong in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.5% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ratsavong appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (87.5%), Hispanic (6.3%), 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 Ratsavong (2000, 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 Ratsavong mean?
A surname of Lao origin meaning "royal dignity" or "royal-born". 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 Ratsavong (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 Ratsavong?
If you just want to know how many Americans have the surname Ratsavong, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.