2010
#122,314
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 141
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Adelakun
One crowned with a crown of victory or honor, implying royalty, success, or high achievement.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 273 Americans carry the last name Adelakun. That puts it at #84,785 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,255,510 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Adelakun surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Adelakun with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
273
1 in 1,255,510
Census rank
#84,785
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
238
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 238 bearers of the surname Adelakun in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 84785th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Adelakun, the largest self-reported group is Black at 97.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Adelakun
The surname ADELAKUN originates from the Yoruba ethnic group in southwestern Nigeria. Yoruba names often carry deep meanings and significance, and ADELAKUN is no exception. The name is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, roughly between the 12th and 16th centuries.
ADELAKUN is a combination of two Yoruba words: "Ade" meaning "crown" or "royalty," and "lakun" meaning "wealth" or "abundance." Together, the name ADELAKUN can be interpreted as "crown of wealth" or "wealthy crown." This suggests that the name may have been bestowed upon individuals of noble or prominent lineage, possibly associated with ruling families or those of significant wealth and status within their communities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name ADELAKUN can be found in the oral traditions and historical accounts of the Oyo Empire, a powerful Yoruba kingdom that flourished between the 16th and 19th centuries. During this era, the name ADELAKUN was likely held by individuals of noble birth or high social standing within the empire's hierarchy.
Among notable individuals with the ADELAKUN surname, history records Adekunle ADELAKUN, a revered warrior and military leader who served under the Alafin (king) of Oyo in the late 17th century. His bravery and strategic prowess were instrumental in several victories against rival kingdoms, earning him a place in the annals of Yoruba history.
Another prominent figure was Adebambo ADELAKUN, a highly respected Ifa priest and diviner who lived in the early 19th century. His wisdom and spiritual guidance were sought after by many, and he was renowned for his deep understanding of the Ifa oracle and its intricate divination practices.
In the realm of arts and culture, the name ADELAKUN has also left its mark. Abiodun ADELAKUN, a renowned sculptor and wood carver from the late 18th century, is celebrated for his intricate and highly detailed works that depicted traditional Yoruba themes and motifs.
Moving into more recent times, Olalekan ADELAKUN, born in 1955, is a renowned academic and scholar whose contributions to the field of Yoruba linguistics and literature have garnered international acclaim.
Lastly, Morenike ADELAKUN, born in 1972, is a prominent journalist and social commentator whose insightful writings have shed light on various sociopolitical issues in Nigeria and beyond.
While these are just a few examples, the surname ADELAKUN has undoubtedly held a significant place in the rich tapestry of Yoruba history and culture, reflecting the values of wealth, nobility, and excellence embedded within its meaning.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Adelakun
Among Census respondents with the surname Adelakun, the largest self-reported group is Black at 97.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Adelakun bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Adelakun surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American97.9% · 233
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Adelakun
Adelakun appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#84,785
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 238
+97 bearers (+68.8%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Up 37,529 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #122,314 | 141 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #84,785 | 238 | 0.08 | +97 bearers (+68.8%) | Up 37,529 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Adelakun surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #122,314 | #84,785 | 30.7% |
| Count | 141 | 238 | 68.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.08 | 59.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Adelakun bearers went from 141 to 238 (+68.8% change). The surname moved up 37,529 positions in the national ranking, going from #122,314 to #84,785.
FAQ
Adelakun surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Adelakun?
Name Census estimates that about 273 living Americans carry the surname Adelakun. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,255,510 residents.
How common is Adelakun?
Adelakun ranks #84,785 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 238 people with the surname Adelakun. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (273), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.08 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.08 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Adelakun.
Has Adelakun become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Adelakun went from 141 recorded bearers to 238. That is an increase of 97 (+68.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #122,314 to #84,785.
What does the Census say about the background of Adelakun?
Among Census respondents with the surname Adelakun, the largest self-reported group is Black at 97.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Adelakun in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.9% (233 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Adelakun appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (97.9%), Hispanic (1.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Adelakun (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Adelakun mean?
One crowned with a crown of victory or honor, implying royalty, success, or high achievement. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Adelakun (0.08 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Adelakun?
Want to know how common the surname Adelakun is? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.