2010
#137,327
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Sayavongsa
A surname of Lao origin meaning "land master" or "lord of the land".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Sayavongsa. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sayavongsa 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Sayavongsa in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sayavongsa, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 81.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (13.1%) and White (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sayavongsa
The surname "SAYAVONGSA" originates from Laos, a country located in Southeast Asia. It is believed to have its roots in the Lao language, with "Saya" potentially meaning "venerable" or "respected," and "Vongsa" likely referring to a prominent family or lineage.
Records of this surname can be traced back to the 16th century during the era of the Lane Xang Kingdom, which ruled over present-day Laos and parts of neighboring regions. The name may have been associated with noble families or individuals of high social standing within the kingdom's hierarchy.
Early written accounts and historical manuscripts from that period, such as the Lao chronicles, may contain references to individuals bearing the surname "SAYAVONGSA." However, due to the limited documentation and preservation efforts of that time, concrete evidence of specific individuals with this name is scarce.
One of the earliest known individuals with the surname "SAYAVONGSA" was Thao Sayavongsa, a prominent military leader and governor who lived in the late 17th century. He played a significant role in defending the kingdom against Siamese invasions and is mentioned in various historical records from that period.
Another notable figure was Phra Sayavongsa, a Buddhist monk and scholar who lived in the 18th century. He is credited with contributing to the preservation and dissemination of traditional Lao literature and religious texts during a time of political turmoil.
In the 19th century, Kham Sayavongsa was a respected nobleman and advisor to the royal court of the Kingdom of Luang Prabang. He is known for his diplomatic efforts in maintaining peaceful relations with neighboring kingdoms and promoting cultural exchange.
During the early 20th century, Boun Oum Sayavongsa was a prominent politician and diplomat who represented Laos in international forums. He played a crucial role in the country's transition to independence from French colonial rule.
More recently, Khamphan Sayavongsa, born in 1941, was a renowned Lao artist and sculptor known for his intricate wood carvings and depictions of traditional Lao culture and mythology. His works have been exhibited internationally and are highly regarded in the art community.
While the surname "SAYAVONGSA" has its origins in Laos, it is not uncommon for individuals with this name to be found in other regions, particularly among the Lao diaspora in countries like Thailand, France, and the United States, where Lao communities have settled over the years.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sayavongsa
Among Census respondents with the surname Sayavongsa, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 81.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (13.1%) and White (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Sayavongsa 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 Sayavongsa surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander81.3% · 87
- Two or more races13.1% · 14
- White3.7% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sayavongsa
Sayavongsa 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
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-15 bearers (-12.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 14,312 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #137,327 | 122 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -15 bearers (-12.3%) | Down 14,312 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 Sayavongsa 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 | #137,327 | #151,639 | -10.4% |
| Count | 122 | 107 | -12.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sayavongsa bearers went from 122 to 107 (-12.3% change). The surname moved down 14,312 positions in the national ranking, going from #137,327 to #151,639.
FAQ
Sayavongsa surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sayavongsa?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Sayavongsa. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Sayavongsa?
Sayavongsa ranks #151,639 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 107 people with the surname Sayavongsa. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), 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 Sayavongsa.
Has Sayavongsa become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sayavongsa went from 122 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 15 (-12.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #137,327 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Sayavongsa?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sayavongsa, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 81.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (13.1%) and White (3.7%). 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 Sayavongsa in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.3% (87 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sayavongsa appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (81.3%), Two or More Races (13.1%), White (3.7%). 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 Sayavongsa (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 Sayavongsa mean?
A surname of Lao origin meaning "land master" or "lord of the land". 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 Sayavongsa (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 surname Sayavongsa?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.