Find out how popular the last name Abang is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Abang.

Abang, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Abang surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Abang in America

Abang is the 134712th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Abang surname appeared 125 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Abang.

We can also compare 2010 data for Abang to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Abang

The surname ABANG originates from Malaysia, specifically the state of Sarawak on the island of Borneo. It is believed to have its roots in the Iban language, one of the indigenous languages of the region. The name ABANG is thought to be derived from the word "abang," which means "elder brother" or "older male relative" in the Iban language.

The earliest recorded instances of the name ABANG can be traced back to the 17th century, when the Iban people inhabited the interior regions of Sarawak. The name was likely used as a way to address or identify older male members of the community or family. It is possible that over time, the term became adopted as a surname, particularly among the Iban people.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname ABANG was Abang Kahar, a renowned Iban warrior and leader who lived in the late 18th century. He was known for his bravery and military prowess in defending his tribe against rival groups and foreign invaders. Another notable figure was Abang Haji Openg, an influential Iban chief and peacemaker who lived in the 19th century.

In the 20th century, several individuals with the surname ABANG gained prominence in various fields. Abang Haji Mustapha bin Abang Haji Openg (1886-1953) was a prominent Iban leader and politician who played a significant role in the political development of Sarawak during the colonial era. Abang Johari Tun Openg (1908-1981) was a renowned writer and scholar who made significant contributions to the preservation and promotion of Iban culture and literature.

More recently, Abang Johari Tun Openg (1944-2010) was a respected politician and the fifth Chief Minister of Sarawak, serving from 1981 to 1987. He was also the grandson of the earlier Abang Johari Tun Openg. Abang Abdul Rahman Johari Abang Openg (1957-present) is a prominent lawyer and academic who has served as the Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak.

While the surname ABANG is predominantly found in Sarawak and among the Iban community, it has also spread to other parts of Malaysia and beyond due to migration and intermarriage. However, its origins can be traced back to the Iban culture and language, where it initially held significance as a term for addressing or identifying elder male relatives.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Abang

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Abang.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Abang was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Abang has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Abang was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Abang, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!