2010
#136,449
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Southivong
A locational surname likely derived from a placename in Southeast Asia.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Southivong. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Southivong 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
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Southivong in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Southivong, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.6%) and White (3.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Southivong
The surname Southivong has its origins in the Southeast Asian country of Laos. It is a Lao name that dates back several centuries. The name is believed to be derived from the Lao words "south" and "vong," which together can be roughly translated as "southern ring" or "southern circle."
Historically, the name Southivong was prominent in the regions surrounding the ancient Lao capital of Vientiane. It is possible that the name originally referred to families or clans residing in the southern part of Vientiane or nearby areas forming a circular or ring-like settlement pattern.
Earliest records of the Southivong name can be traced back to the 16th century during the reign of the Lao Kingdom of Lan Xang. Several Southivong families were known to hold positions of influence and power within the royal court and administrative ranks of the kingdom.
One notable figure bearing the Southivong name was Thao Southivong, a high-ranking official and military commander who served under KingPhotisarath in the late 16th century. He played a pivotal role in the kingdom's defense against Burmese invasions and is mentioned in several historical texts from that period.
Another prominent individual with the Southivong surname was Kham Southivong, a revered Buddhist monk and scholar who lived in the 17th century. He was renowned for his contributions to the preservation and propagation of Lao religious texts and teachings.
In the 18th century, a Southivong family reportedly held significant landholdings and influence in the region around the town of Savannakhet, which was an important trading hub at the time. This family's lineage can be traced through various local records and chronicles.
During the 19th century, a Southivong named Thao Khamphong served as a high-ranking military commander under King Anouvong. He played a crucial role in the Lao resistance against Siamese (Thai) invasions and is widely regarded as a national hero in Laos.
Throughout its history, the Southivong surname has been associated with nobility, religious scholars, military leaders, and influential families in various parts of Laos. While the name has evolved in its spelling and pronunciation over time, its origins and significance remain deeply rooted in the country's cultural and historical landscape.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Southivong
Among Census respondents with the surname Southivong, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.6%) and White (3.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Southivong 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 Southivong surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander88.7% · 94
- Two or more races6.6% · 7
- White3.8% · 4
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Southivong
Southivong 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
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-17 bearers (-13.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,890 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #136,449 | 123 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | -17 bearers (-13.8%) | Down 15,890 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 Southivong 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 | #136,449 | #152,339 | -11.6% |
| Count | 123 | 106 | -13.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Southivong bearers went from 123 to 106 (-13.8% change). The surname moved down 15,890 positions in the national ranking, going from #136,449 to #152,339.
FAQ
Southivong surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Southivong?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Southivong. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Southivong?
Southivong ranks #152,339 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 106 people with the surname Southivong. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), 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 Southivong.
Has Southivong become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Southivong went from 123 recorded bearers to 106. That is a decrease of 17 (-13.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #136,449 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Southivong?
Among Census respondents with the surname Southivong, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.6%) and White (3.8%). 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 Southivong in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.7% (94 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Southivong appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (88.7%), Two or More Races (6.6%), White (3.8%). 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 Southivong (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 Southivong mean?
A locational surname likely derived from a placename in Southeast Asia. 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 Southivong (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 Americans have the surname Southivong?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.