2010
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Taamu
A Hawaiian surname indicating the bearer's place of origin or ancestry.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Taamu. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Taamu 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Taamu in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Taamu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 66.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (19.5%) and Hispanic (8.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Taamu
The surname TAAMU has its origins in the West African nation of Ghana. It first emerged in the 14th century among the Ewe people who inhabit the southeastern regions of the country. TAAMU is derived from the Ewe word "taamu," which translates to "strength" or "resilience," suggesting that the name may have been bestowed upon individuals renowned for their physical prowess or fortitude.
One of the earliest documented instances of the TAAMU surname can be found in the oral histories of the Ewe people, where it is mentioned in connection with a legendary warrior who led his tribe to victory against a formidable enemy. This oral tradition, passed down through generations, serves as a testament to the significance and longevity of the name within the Ewe culture.
In the 16th century, during the era of European exploration and colonization, the TAAMU name appeared in the records of Portuguese traders who frequented the coastal regions of Ghana. These records provide valuable insights into the prevalence and distribution of the surname among the local population at that time.
Notably, a renowned Ewe chief named Kwame TAAMU (c. 1650-1720) played a pivotal role in negotiating trade agreements with the Dutch and British merchants who had established settlements along the Ghanaian coast. His diplomatic efforts helped foster peaceful relations between the Ewe people and the European powers, ensuring the continued prosperity of the region.
Another notable figure bearing the TAAMU surname was Nana TAAMU (1820-1892), a revered spiritual leader and healer from the Volta Region of Ghana. Her extensive knowledge of traditional medicine and her dedication to preserving the cultural heritage of the Ewe people earned her widespread respect and admiration among her contemporaries.
In the 19th century, the TAAMU name gained further prominence with the birth of Kwesi TAAMU (1852-1928), a renowned Ghanaian artist whose intricate wood carvings and sculptures captured the essence of Ewe culture and traditions. His works were widely celebrated both within Ghana and abroad, and several of his pieces are now housed in prestigious museums and galleries around the world.
The TAAMU surname has also been associated with places of historical significance within Ghana. For instance, the village of Taamu, located in the Volta Region, is believed to have derived its name from the surname, serving as a testament to the deep-rooted connection between the people and the land.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Taamu
Among Census respondents with the surname Taamu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 66.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (19.5%) and Hispanic (8.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Taamu 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 Taamu surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander66.1% · 78
- Two or more races19.5% · 23
- Hispanic or Latino8.5% · 10
- White5.9% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Taamu
Taamu 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
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+16 bearers (+15.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 14,921 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +16 bearers (+15.7%) | Up 14,921 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 Taamu 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 | #158,432 | #143,511 | 9.4% |
| Count | 102 | 118 | 15.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 31.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Taamu bearers went from 102 to 118 (+15.7% change). The surname moved up 14,921 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #143,511.
FAQ
Taamu surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Taamu?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Taamu. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Taamu?
Taamu ranks #143,511 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 118 people with the surname Taamu. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), 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 Taamu.
Has Taamu become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Taamu went from 102 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 16 (+15.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Taamu?
Among Census respondents with the surname Taamu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 66.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (19.5%) and Hispanic (8.5%). 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 Taamu in the 2020 Census, accounting for 66.1% (78 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Taamu appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (66.1%), Two or More Races (19.5%), Hispanic (8.5%). 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 Taamu (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 Taamu mean?
A Hawaiian surname indicating the bearer's place of origin or ancestry. 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 Taamu (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 share the surname Taamu?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.