Tauala last name popularity, history, and meaning

Find out how popular the last name Tauala is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Tauala.

Meaning of Tauala

A Samoan surname denoting one's village or place of origin.

Tauala, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Tauala surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tauala in America

Tauala is the 160975th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tauala surname appeared 100 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Tauala.

The history of the last name Tauala

The surname Tauala originates from the Samoan islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It is believed to have emerged around the 16th century, derived from the Samoan words "tau" meaning "warrior" and "ala" meaning "path" or "way."

Historically, the name Tauala was associated with Samoan chiefs and warriors who led their communities and defended their land. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in oral traditions and genealogical records passed down through generations of Samoan families.

One of the earliest known references to the name Tauala comes from the 18th century, when Chief Tauala Tupu led his village in a successful defense against a rival clan's invasion. His bravery and strategic leadership were celebrated in Samoan songs and stories.

In the 19th century, Tauala Malietoa was a prominent figure in Samoan history, serving as the head of the Malietoa dynasty, one of the most influential chiefly lines in Samoa. He played a crucial role in negotiations with European powers during the colonial era, seeking to preserve Samoan independence and traditions.

Another notable figure was Tauala Vaimosa, a skilled navigator and explorer who led voyages across the Polynesian islands in the early 20th century. His knowledge of celestial navigation and traditional wayfinding techniques earned him great respect among his people.

In more recent times, Tauala Siaosi was a renowned Samoan artist and woodcarver, known for his intricate and detailed works that depicted Samoan mythology and culture. His pieces are now exhibited in museums around the world, showcasing the rich artistic heritage of Samoa.

The name Tauala has also been found in various spellings and variations, such as Taualu, Taualu'u, and Taualu'alu, reflecting the diverse dialects and regional variations within Samoan language and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tauala

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Tauala.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

  1. White only
  2. Black only
  3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
  4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
  5. Hispanic
  6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Tauala was:

Race/EthnicityPercentageTotal Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic Black Only(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only58.00%58
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races27.00%27
Hispanic Origin8.00%8

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Tauala was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Tauala, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.

Search
Search
Background shape