1. The Hawaiian People: A Historical Overview
2. A Declining Population in 1878
3. The Rarity of Pure Hawaiians in 2016
4. The Rise of Part Hawaiians in 2016
5. The Future Population of Hawaii
6. Income by Island in Hawaii
1. The Hawaiian People: A Historical Overview
When Captain James Cook arrived in Hawaii in 1778, there were estimated to be between 300,000 and 400,000 native Hawaiians, known as the “kanaka maoli.” However, over the following century, the native Hawaiian population faced a tragic decline of approximately 80 to 90 percent due to deadly diseases such as smallpox, measles, and influenza introduced by contact with foreigners.
2. A Declining Population in 1878
By 1878, the native Hawaiian population had reduced to around 40,000 to 50,000 individuals. Although this figure was drastically smaller compared to a century earlier, native Hawaiians still made up over 75 percent of the total population in the islands.
3. The Rarity of Pure Hawaiians in 2016
In the last 120 years, the number of pure Hawaiians (individuals with only Hawaiian lineage) has continued to decline. As of the early 21st century, fewer than 8,000 pure Hawaiians were recorded.
4. The Rise of Part Hawaiians in 2016
Conversely, the number of individuals with partial Hawaiian ancestry has steadily increased since the start of the century. As of 2016, the estimated population of individuals with Hawaiian blood ranged between 225,000 and 250,000.
Interestingly, the population of native Hawaiians is growing at an impressive rate of approximately 6,000 individuals per year, outpacing other ethnic groups in the state, although most have less than 50 percent pure Hawaiian blood.
5. The Future Population of Hawaii
According to the 2010 U.S. Census, Hawaii was home to 1,360,301 residents. The ethnic breakdown revealed that 24.7 percent identified as Caucasian, 14.5 percent as Filipino, 13.6 percent as Japanese, 8.9 percent as Hispanic or Latino, 5.9 percent as Hawaiian, and 4.0 percent as Chinese. Notably, 23.6 percent identified as belonging to two or more races, reflecting a 2 percent increase since the 2000 census.
Of those who identified with a single race or in combination with others, 57.4 percent were partially or fully Asian, 41.5 percent were partially or fully Caucasian, and 26.2 percent were partially or fully Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander.
6. Income by Island in Hawaii
Reflecting the diverse population, significant disparities exist in median household income across Hawaii’s islands:
- Honolulu County (Oʻahu) – $54,714
- Maui County (Lānaʻi, Maui, Molokai) – $49,065
- Kauai County – $45,146
- Hawaii County (The Big Island) – $42,043
In comparison, the median household income in the United States was $44,344 in 2017.
As Hawaii’s population continues to evolve from its original settlers, it is often said that there are two categories of Hawaiians: those of Hawaiian blood and those who are Hawaiian-at-heart.
