2010
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Tampubolon
An Indonesian surname indicating origin from the Batak people.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Tampubolon. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Tampubolon 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
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Tampubolon in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Tampubolon, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and White (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Tampubolon
The surname TAMPUBOLON originates from the Batak people of North Sumatra, Indonesia. It likely emerged in the 16th or 17th century from the Toba Batak region. The name is thought to be derived from the word "tampubol" which means "to grow" or "to sprout" in the Toba Batak language.
TAMPUBOLON is a locational surname, referring to a specific place or area where the family originated. The name may have been associated with an ancestor who lived in or near a village or region known for its fertile land and abundant growth of crops or vegetation.
Early records of the TAMPUBOLON name are scarce due to the limited documentation of Batak names in historical sources. However, some references to the name can be found in local genealogical records and oral traditions passed down through generations.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the TAMPUBOLON surname was Ompu Tampubolon, a respected leader and chief of the Tampubolon clan in the late 17th century. He played a significant role in resolving conflicts and maintaining peace among the Batak communities.
Another notable figure was Patuan Tampubolon, a revered spiritual leader and healer who lived in the 18th century. He was renowned for his vast knowledge of traditional Batak healing practices and his ability to communicate with the spirit world.
During the 19th century, a prominent figure named Sutan Tampubolon emerged as a skilled diplomat and negotiator. He facilitated trade and diplomatic relations between the Batak people and the Dutch colonial authorities, helping to maintain a delicate balance between traditional Batak customs and the changing political landscape.
In the early 20th century, Raden Tampubolon was a respected educator and advocate for Batak culture. He established several schools and worked tirelessly to preserve the Batak language, literature, and traditions.
Another individual of note was Putri Tampubolon, a renowned artist and weaver who lived in the mid-20th century. Her intricate and beautiful woven textiles, known as "ulos," were celebrated for their intricate designs and symbolism, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of the Batak people.
While the TAMPUBOLON surname is most prevalent in North Sumatra, Indonesia, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Tampubolon
Among Census respondents with the surname Tampubolon, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and White (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Tampubolon 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 Tampubolon surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander94.8% · 110
- Two or more races3.4% · 4
- White1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Tampubolon
Tampubolon 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
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+15 bearers (+14.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 14,684 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | +15 bearers (+14.9%) | Up 14,684 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 Tampubolon 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 | #159,712 | #145,028 | 9.2% |
| Count | 101 | 116 | 14.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 29.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Tampubolon bearers went from 101 to 116 (+14.9% change). The surname moved up 14,684 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #145,028.
FAQ
Tampubolon surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Tampubolon?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Tampubolon. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Tampubolon?
Tampubolon ranks #145,028 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 116 people with the surname Tampubolon. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), 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 Tampubolon.
Has Tampubolon become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Tampubolon went from 101 recorded bearers to 116. That is an increase of 15 (+14.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Tampubolon?
Among Census respondents with the surname Tampubolon, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and White (1.7%). 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 Tampubolon in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.8% (110 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Tampubolon appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (94.8%), Two or More Races (3.4%), White (1.7%). 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 Tampubolon (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 Tampubolon mean?
An Indonesian surname indicating origin from the Batak people. 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 Tampubolon (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 common is the surname Tampubolon?
You can see how many people have the last name Tampubolon on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.