2010
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Tupai
Surname denoting someone associated with squirrels or squirrel-like characteristics.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Tupai. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Tupai 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
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Tupai in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Tupai, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 72.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (14.2%) and White (7.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Tupai
The surname Tupai is believed to have originated in the Malay Archipelago, specifically in Indonesia and Malaysia. It is likely derived from the Malay word "tupai," which means "squirrel." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a nickname or derived from an occupation related to squirrels or their habitats.
The earliest known records of the surname Tupai can be traced back to the 16th century in the region of Java, Indonesia. During this time, the name appeared in various historical documents and records, such as land deeds and tax records. Some of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Tupai include Raden Tupai (born c. 1530), a local chieftain in the Sultanate of Demak, and Nyai Tupai (fl. 1570), a prominent batik trader in the city of Yogyakarta.
In the 17th century, the name Tupai began to spread to other parts of the Malay Archipelago, including the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo. This was likely due to the movement of people and the expansion of trade networks in the region. One notable figure from this period was Tun Tupai (c. 1625-1690), a Malay warrior and leader who played a significant role in the defense of the Johor Sultanate against Portuguese and Acehnese invaders.
As the centuries progressed, the surname Tupai continued to be found in various parts of Indonesia and Malaysia. In the 19th century, a prominent individual bearing this name was Haji Tupai (1825-1895), a successful businessman and landowner from Riau, Sumatra. He was known for his philanthropic efforts and the construction of several mosques and schools in the region.
Another notable figure was Nuraishah Tupai (1895-1976), a renowned Malay writer and journalist who played a crucial role in the development of modern Malay literature. Her works, which often explored themes of social justice and women's rights, had a significant impact on the literary landscape of the time.
While the surname Tupai has its roots in the Malay Archipelago, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. For example, there are individuals with the surname Tupai living in countries such as Singapore, Australia, and the United Kingdom, where they may have ancestral connections to the region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Tupai
Among Census respondents with the surname Tupai, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 72.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (14.2%) and White (7.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Tupai 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 Tupai surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander72.6% · 77
- Two or more races14.2% · 15
- White7.5% · 8
- Hispanic or Latino4.7% · 5
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Tupai
Tupai 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
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
+2 bearers (+1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,705 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.9%) | Up 3,705 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 Tupai 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 | #156,044 | #152,339 | 2.4% |
| Count | 104 | 106 | 1.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Tupai bearers went from 104 to 106 (+1.9% change). The surname moved up 3,705 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #152,339.
FAQ
Tupai surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Tupai?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Tupai. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Tupai?
Tupai ranks #152,339 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 106 people with the surname Tupai. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), 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 Tupai.
Has Tupai become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Tupai went from 104 recorded bearers to 106. That is an increase of 2 (+1.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Tupai?
Among Census respondents with the surname Tupai, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 72.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (14.2%) and White (7.5%). 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 Tupai in the 2020 Census, accounting for 72.6% (77 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Tupai appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (72.6%), Two or More Races (14.2%), White (7.5%). 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 Tupai (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 Tupai mean?
Surname denoting someone associated with squirrels or squirrel-like characteristics. 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 Tupai (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 many people are called Tupai?
You can see how many Americans have the surname Tupai on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.