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

Adekoya, 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 Adekoya surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Adekoya in America

Adekoya is the 65593rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Adekoya surname appeared 302 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 Adekoya.

We can also compare 2010 data for Adekoya 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 Adekoya

The surname Adekoya has its origins in the Yoruba ethnic group of southwestern Nigeria. It is a combination of two Yoruba words, "ade" meaning "crown" or "royalty," and "koya" meaning "to acquire" or "to obtain." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who acquired or obtained a royal title or position.

Adekoya is believed to have emerged as a surname in the 16th century, during the height of the Oyo Empire, one of the most powerful and influential Yoruba kingdoms. The name is primarily found in the areas of Oyo, Ogun, and Lagos states, which were once part of the Oyo Empire's territory.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Adekoya can be found in the "Itan Oyo," an oral history of the Oyo Empire, which dates back to the 17th century. The name is mentioned in connection with a prominent family that held significant positions within the Oyo imperial court.

In the 19th century, the name Adekoya appears in historical records related to the Yoruba Wars, a series of conflicts that occurred in the region. One notable figure was Adekoya Tapa, a renowned military leader and warrior who fought against the forces of the Ibadan city-state during the Kiriji War in the 1880s.

Another prominent individual bearing the surname Adekoya was Chief Adekoya Ademola, a prominent Nigerian lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria from 1958 to 1972. He played a significant role in the country's transition to independence and the establishment of its legal system.

Other notable individuals with the surname Adekoya include:

1. Adekoya Adelabu (1915-1958), a Nigerian politician and activist who advocated for the rights of the Yoruba people.
2. Adekoya Adesanya (1920-1996), a Nigerian artist and sculptor known for his innovative use of traditional Yoruba motifs and techniques.
3. Adekoya Raji (1940-1988), a Nigerian writer and playwright whose works explored themes of cultural identity and social justice.
4. Adekoya Olabisi (1955-present), a Nigerian academic and educator who has made significant contributions to the field of Yoruba linguistics.
5. Adekoya Bamisile (1965-present), a Nigerian-American business executive and entrepreneur who has founded several successful companies in the technology sector.

While the name Adekoya is primarily associated with the Yoruba people of Nigeria, it has also spread to other parts of West Africa and the broader African diaspora due to migration and cultural exchange.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Adekoya

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Adekoya, 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!