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

Abebe, 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 Abebe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Abebe in America

Abebe is the 14913th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Abebe surname appeared 1,985 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Abebe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Abebe 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 Abebe

The surname ABEBE has its origins in Ethiopia, where it is a common Amharic name. The name is thought to be derived from the Ge'ez word "ababa," meaning "flower" or "blossom." This suggests that the name may have originally been bestowed upon individuals with a connection to nature or agriculture.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname ABEBE can be found in the Kebra Nagast, a 14th-century account of the Queen of Sheba's visit to King Solomon. The text mentions an individual named Abebe, who was a prominent figure in the court of the Ethiopian empire.

The name ABEBE also appears in various historical documents and manuscripts from the 16th and 17th centuries, including the chronicles of Emperor Susenyos I and the writings of the renowned Ethiopian scholar and philosopher, Zera Yacob.

Notable individuals with the surname ABEBE throughout history include:

1. Abebe Bikila (1932-1973), an Ethiopian marathon runner who won the Olympic gold medal in 1960 and 1964, setting a world record and becoming the first athlete to compete barefoot in the marathon.

2. Abebe Aregai (1903-1965), an Ethiopian politician and military leader who played a crucial role in the struggle against Italian occupation during World War II.

3. Abebe Mekonnen (1915-1995), an Ethiopian diplomat and statesman who served as the country's Foreign Minister and Ambassador to the United States.

4. Abebe Tsamere (1855-1927), an Ethiopian military leader and commander who fought against the Italian invasion of Ethiopia in the late 19th century.

5. Abebe Gelaw (1925-2010), an Ethiopian writer and poet renowned for his contributions to Amharic literature and his advocacy for social justice.

The surname ABEBE is deeply rooted in Ethiopian history and culture, with its origins dating back centuries. While its meaning may have evolved over time, the name continues to hold significance and pride for those who bear it.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Abebe

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

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 Abebe 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 Abebe 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 Abebe was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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