2000
#143,847
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Tuinei
A Catalan surname potentially derived from a place name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 175 Americans carry the last name Tuinei. That puts it at #119,572 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,958,596 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Tuinei 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
175
1 in 1,958,596
Census rank
#119,572
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
153
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 153 bearers of the surname Tuinei in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 119572nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Tuinei, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 60.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (23.5%) and Hispanic (10.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Tuinei
The surname TUINEI has its origins in Samoa, a Polynesian island country located in the South Pacific Ocean. It is believed to have first emerged during the 16th century or earlier, as the Samoan language and culture developed over centuries of isolation.
One theory suggests that TUINEI is derived from the Samoan words "tui," meaning a king or chief, and "nei," a personal pronoun indicating a specific individual. This could imply that the name originally referred to a person of chiefly or noble rank within the traditional Samoan social structure.
Another possible origin of TUINEI is that it may have been a place name or a reference to a specific village or region within the Samoan archipelago. Many Samoan surnames are linked to geographical locations or physical features, reflecting the close connection between the people and their land.
The earliest known records of the name TUINEI can be found in oral traditions and genealogies passed down through generations of Samoan families. These accounts often trace lineages back to legendary ancestors and significant events in Samoan history.
One notable figure bearing the TUINEI surname was Tuinei Togia, a respected orator and advisor to the paramount chiefs of Samoa in the late 18th century. He was renowned for his eloquence and wisdom in navigating complex political and social matters.
Another historical figure was Tuinei Laulu, a prominent Samoan chief who played a key role in the island's resistance against German colonial rule in the late 19th century. His defiance and leadership during this turbulent period have made him a revered figure in Samoan history.
In the early 20th century, Tuinei Fuimaono was a prominent Samoan writer and scholar who contributed significantly to the preservation and documentation of Samoan language, literature, and cultural traditions.
Tuinei Samuelu, born in 1928, was a renowned artist and woodcarver whose works celebrated Samoan motifs and designs. His intricate carvings adorned traditional canoes, houses, and ceremonial objects, ensuring the continuation of this important cultural art form.
Lastly, Tuinei Togia Jr., born in 1952, was a respected Samoan politician and diplomat who served as the country's Ambassador to the United Nations and played a crucial role in Samoa's international relations and advocacy for Pacific Island nations.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the TUINEI surname throughout history, contributing to the rich tapestry of Samoan culture, governance, and artistic expression.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Tuinei
Among Census respondents with the surname Tuinei, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 60.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (23.5%) and Hispanic (10.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Tuinei 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 Tuinei surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander60.1% · 92
- Two or more races23.5% · 36
- Hispanic or Latino10.5% · 16
- White5.2% · 8
- Black or African American0.7% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Tuinei
Tuinei appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#104,602
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 171
+65 bearers (+61.3%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Up 39,245 places
2020
#119,572
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 153
-18 bearers (-10.5%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 14,970 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #143,847 | 106 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #104,602 | 171 | 0.06 | +65 bearers (+61.3%) | Up 39,245 places |
| 2020 | #119,572 | 153 | 0.05 | -18 bearers (-10.5%) | Down 14,970 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 Tuinei 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 | #104,602 | #119,572 | -14.3% |
| Count | 171 | 153 | -10.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.05 | -14.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Tuinei bearers went from 171 to 153 (-10.5% change). The surname moved down 14,970 positions in the national ranking, going from #104,602 to #119,572.
FAQ
Tuinei surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Tuinei?
Name Census estimates that about 175 living Americans carry the surname Tuinei. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,958,596 residents.
How common is Tuinei?
Tuinei ranks #119,572 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 153 people with the surname Tuinei. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (175), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Tuinei.
Has Tuinei become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Tuinei went from 171 recorded bearers to 153. That is a decrease of 18 (-10.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #104,602 to #119,572.
What does the Census say about the background of Tuinei?
Among Census respondents with the surname Tuinei, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 60.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (23.5%) and Hispanic (10.5%). 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 Tuinei in the 2020 Census, accounting for 60.1% (92 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Tuinei appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (60.1%), Two or More Races (23.5%), Hispanic (10.5%). 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 Tuinei (2000, 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 Tuinei mean?
A Catalan surname potentially derived from a place name. 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 Tuinei (0.05 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 Americans have the surname Tuinei?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.