2010
#160,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Vongsamphanh
A Thai surname meaning one from Vongsa, a region in Thailand.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Vongsamphanh. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Vongsamphanh 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
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Vongsamphanh in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Vongsamphanh, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 87.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.3%) and White (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Vongsamphanh
The surname Vongsamphanh has its origins in Laos, a country in Southeast Asia. It is believed to have emerged during the 16th century, a period marked by the establishment of the Lan Xang Kingdom, a prominent Lao empire that ruled over a vast territory encompassing modern-day Laos, Thailand, and parts of Cambodia and Vietnam.
The name Vongsamphanh is derived from two distinct Lao words: "vong," meaning "circle" or "ring," and "samphanh," which translates to "prosperity" or "fortune." This combination suggests that the name may have been bestowed upon individuals or families who were considered prosperous or fortunate within their communities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Vongsamphanh surname can be traced back to a historic document from the late 17th century, detailing a prominent family in the ancient city of Luang Prabang, which served as the capital of the Lan Xang Kingdom. This document, preserved in the royal archives, mentions a nobleman named Thao Vongsamphanh, who held a distinguished position within the royal court.
Over the centuries, the Vongsamphanh surname has been linked to various notable figures in Lao history. One such individual is Phaya Vongsamphanh, a revered military leader who played a pivotal role in defending the kingdom against invading forces during the 18th century. His bravery and strategic prowess earned him a place in the annals of Lao history.
In the 19th century, a renowned Lao scholar and poet, Maha Vongsamphanh, gained widespread recognition for his literary works, which captured the essence of Lao culture and traditions. His writings served as a valuable resource for preserving the language and heritage of the Lao people.
Another noteworthy figure bearing the Vongsamphanh surname was Thao Vongsamphanh, a respected diplomat who represented Laos in international affairs during the early 20th century. His diplomatic efforts played a crucial role in establishing diplomatic relations between Laos and various nations around the world.
While the Vongsamphanh surname is predominantly found in Laos, it has also spread to neighboring countries like Thailand and Cambodia, where Lao communities have settled over the centuries. The name has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including scholars, artists, and government officials, reflecting the rich cultural heritage associated with this historic surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Vongsamphanh
Among Census respondents with the surname Vongsamphanh, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 87.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.3%) and White (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Vongsamphanh 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 Vongsamphanh surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander87.0% · 94
- Two or more races9.3% · 10
- White2.8% · 3
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Vongsamphanh
Vongsamphanh 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
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
+8 bearers (+8.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 10,040 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #160,975 | 100 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+8.0%) | Up 10,040 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 Vongsamphanh 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 | #160,975 | #150,935 | 6.2% |
| Count | 100 | 108 | 8.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 20.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Vongsamphanh bearers went from 100 to 108 (+8.0% change). The surname moved up 10,040 positions in the national ranking, going from #160,975 to #150,935.
FAQ
Vongsamphanh surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Vongsamphanh?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Vongsamphanh. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Vongsamphanh?
Vongsamphanh ranks #150,935 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 108 people with the surname Vongsamphanh. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), 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 Vongsamphanh.
Has Vongsamphanh become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Vongsamphanh went from 100 recorded bearers to 108. That is an increase of 8 (+8.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #160,975 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Vongsamphanh?
Among Census respondents with the surname Vongsamphanh, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 87.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.3%) and White (2.8%). 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 Vongsamphanh in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.0% (94 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Vongsamphanh appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (87.0%), Two or More Races (9.3%), White (2.8%). 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 Vongsamphanh (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 Vongsamphanh mean?
A Thai surname meaning one from Vongsa, a region in Thailand. 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 Vongsamphanh (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 share the surname Vongsamphanh?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.