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

Tonga, 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 Tonga surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tonga in America

Tonga is the 38332nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tonga surname appeared 578 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 Tonga.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tonga 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 Tonga

The surname Tonga has its origins in the region of Tonga, an archipelago of islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is believed to have first been used as a surname in the late 16th century or early 17th century by European explorers and missionaries who visited the islands and encountered the indigenous Tongan people.

The name Tonga is derived from the Tongan language and is thought to mean "south" or "southern islands." The Tongan archipelago lies south of the Samoan Islands, which may have contributed to the name's origins. Other linguistic experts believe the name may come from the Proto-Polynesian word "tonga," meaning "to plant or settle."

One of the earliest recorded uses of the surname Tonga can be found in the journals of Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman, who visited the islands in 1643. Tasman referred to the islands as "Tonga Islands" and provided some of the first written accounts of the Tongan people and their culture.

Another early reference to the surname Tonga can be found in the writings of English missionary John Thomas, who arrived in Tonga in 1826. Thomas documented the Tongan language and culture, and his works provide valuable insights into the use of the name during that time period.

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the surname Tonga, including:

1. Siaosi Tonga (c. 1800-1880), a Tongan chief and influential figure in the conversion of Tonga to Christianity.
2. Tuku'aho Tonga (1839-1918), a Tongan noble and politician who served as the Prime Minister of Tonga from 1893 to 1904.
3. Sione Tonga (1876-1952), a Tongan composer and musician who is considered one of the pioneers of modern Tongan music.
4. Sefanaia Tonga (1907-1982), a Tongan painter and artist known for his depictions of Tongan life and culture.
5. Lupeti Tonga (1923-2007), a Tongan educator and writer who played a significant role in preserving and promoting the Tongan language and literature.

While the surname Tonga is most commonly associated with the Tongan Islands, it has also been used by individuals from other parts of the Pacific region, particularly in neighboring islands and countries with close cultural ties to Tonga.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tonga

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

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

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

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