Skip to main content

Story: Samoans

Page 6: Facts and figures

Ethnic identity

In the New Zealand census, people are asked to indicate the ethnic group or groups with which they identified. The numbers include those who indicated more than one group.

  • 2006 census: 131,103
  • 2013 census: 144,138
  • 2018 census: 182,721

Country of birth

The New Zealand census figures listed here show the number of residents born in Samoa.

Samoa

  • 1874 census: 6
  • 1936 census: 279
  • 1951 census: 1,336
  • 1976 census: 19,711
  • 2001 census: 47,118
  • 2006 census: 50,649
  • 2013 census: 50,658
  • 2018 census: 55,512

American Samoa

  • 2001 census: 399
  • 2006 census: 489
  • 2013 census: 636
  • 2018 census: 861
Previous Next: Page 7. External links and sources Next

How to cite this page

Lupematasila Melani Anae, Samoans – Facts and figures, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/samoans/page-6 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Lupematasila Melani Anae, published 4 March 2009, reviewed and revised 7 September 2022 with assistance from Lupematasila Melani Anae.