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

Acholonu, 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 Acholonu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Acholonu in America

Acholonu is the 132206th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Acholonu surname appeared 128 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 Acholonu.

The history of the last name Acholonu

The surname Acholonu has its origins in the Igbo ethnic group of southeastern Nigeria. It is believed to have emerged in the late 16th or early 17th century, derived from the Igbo words "acho" meaning "wealth" and "olu" meaning "rises". The name likely referred to someone who had achieved significant prosperity or a rise in social status through wealth accumulation.

In some early written records from the 18th century, the name is found spelled as "Acholuonwu" or "Achalonwu", reflecting the fluid nature of spelling conventions at the time. These variations suggest the name may have initially incorporated the Igbo word "onwu" meaning "life" or "being", perhaps signifying "wealth that rises to life" or "a prosperous being".

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname was Nnamdi Acholonu, a prominent trader and landowner born in the late 1700s in the town of Orlu, in what is now Imo State, Nigeria. His success in commerce and acquisition of significant land holdings likely contributed to the association of the name with wealth and prosperity.

In the 19th century, the name appears in some British colonial records, such as the 1841 census of the Bight of Biafra region. This suggests that individuals with the Acholonu surname may have interacted with or been known to European traders and colonial officials during this period.

Notable individuals with the Acholonu surname include:

1. Obinna Acholonu (1932-2008), a Nigerian businessman and philanthropist who founded the Obinna Acholonu Foundation to support education and healthcare initiatives.

2. Rose Acholonu (1942-2022), a Nigerian academic and writer who specialized in African literature and folklore, and authored several books on Igbo culture and traditions.

3. Catherine Acholonu (1951-2022), a Nigerian researcher and author known for her work on African history, philosophy, and gender studies, including the book "The Gram Code of African Adam: Stone Books and Primitives".

4. Ifeoma Acholonu (born 1967), a Nigerian lawyer and human rights advocate, serving as the Executive Director of the Women's Consortium of Nigeria.

5. Chike Acholonu (born 1972), a Nigerian-born American artist and sculptor whose work explores themes of identity, migration, and cultural hybridity.

While these are just a few examples, the Acholonu surname has a rich history rooted in the Igbo culture of Nigeria, with its meaning reflecting the idea of rising prosperity and wealth.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Acholonu

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

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 Acholonu 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.

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

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

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