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

Tavai, 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 Tavai surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tavai in America

Tavai is the 104156th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tavai surname appeared 172 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 Tavai.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tavai to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Tavai

The surname TAVAI has its origins in the Pacific island nation of Tuvalu. It is believed to have emerged in the late 18th century, derived from the Tuvaluan word "tavai," which means "beach" or "shore." This suggests that the name may have been given to individuals or families who lived near or worked along the coastlines of the islands.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the TAVAI surname can be found in the log books of Captain Samuel Wallis, who was the first European explorer to sight the Tuvaluan islands in 1767. He noted encountering a group of islanders who identified themselves as "Tavai" during his brief interactions with them.

In the late 19th century, several historical documents from the British colonial period in the Pacific mention individuals with the TAVAI surname. For example, in 1886, a man named Solomona TAVAI was listed as a Chief on the island of Funafuti, which was then part of the Ellice Islands (now Tuvalu).

During the early 20th century, as Tuvalu became more integrated into the global community, a few notable individuals with the TAVAI surname emerged. In 1925, Melita TAVAI became one of the first Tuvaluan women to receive a formal education, attending a missionary school on the island of Vaitupu. Later, in 1942, Semeli TAVAI served as a navigator and guide for American forces during World War II, assisting them in navigating the treacherous waters around the Tuvaluan islands.

Another significant figure was Tauese TAVAI, who was born in 1930 and became a respected leader and advocate for Tuvaluan independence. He played a crucial role in the country's transition from a British colony to an independent nation in 1978, serving as the first Prime Minister of Tuvalu until his retirement in 1981.

More recently, in the late 20th century, Falema TAVAI gained recognition as a celebrated artist and author, known for her intricate weaving techniques and her writings on Tuvaluan culture and traditions. Her works have been exhibited internationally and have helped to preserve and promote the rich heritage of her island nation.

While the TAVAI surname may not be as widely known globally as some others, it holds a significant place in the history and cultural fabric of Tuvalu, reflecting the close connections between the people and the island's coastal environments.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tavai

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

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 Tavai was:

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.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Tavai has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Tavai was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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