Explore the Family Name Pau
The meaning of Pau
1. Burmese (Chin): from a part of a male compound personal name, from pau ‘to speak’, interpreted as e.g. ‘commanding’. — Note: Since Chins do not have hereditary surnames, this name element was registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US. 2. Indian (Gujarat): Lohana name of unexplained etymology. 3. Chinese: Cantonese form of the surnames 包 and 鮑. Mandarin form of the surnames 保 and 暴. See Bao. 4. Catalan: from the personal name Pau, Catalan equivalent of Paul. 5. French (mainly Nord, also southern France): from a regional vernacular form of the personal name Paul. Some characteristic forenames: Chinese Hok, Kwan, Quang, Thang, Wai, Wing Hong. Indian Dhirajlal, Prakash. Spanish Angeles, Carlos, Enrique, Margarita.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Pau in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Pau has seen a significant rise in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Pau ranked 37,043rd in terms of popularity but climbed to the rank of 28,100 by 2010, marking an increase of 24.14%. The total count of those bearing the surname also rose dramatically from 567 to 852, an impressive growth rate of 50.26%. The proportion of people with the surname Pau per 100,000 citizens increased from 0.21 to 0.29 during this decade, indicating a rise of 38.1%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #37,043 | #28,100 | 24.14% |
| Count | 567 | 852 | 50.26% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.21 | 0.29 | 38.1% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Pau
When examining the ethnicity of those with the Pau surname using data from the Decennial U.S. Census, it’s clear that there have been some changes over time. The Asian/Pacific Islander community saw a slight increase in the percentage of individuals with the Pau surname, going from 69.49% in 2000 to 71.36% in 2010. Those identifying with two or more races holding the Pau surname nearly doubled, jumping from 4.06% to 7.86%. However, the percentage of white individuals with the name dropped significantly, falling from 16.05% down to 10.09%. While the Hispanic population with the Pau surname slightly rose from 9.17% to 9.98%, the Black, American Indian and Alaskan Native communities remained relatively static, with the former seeing a minor emergence at 0.70% in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 69.49% | 71.36% | 2.69% |
| White | 16.05% | 10.09% | -37.13% |
| Hispanic | 9.17% | 9.98% | 8.83% |
| Two or More Races | 4.06% | 7.86% | 93.6% |
| Black | 0% | 0.7% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |