2010
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Adeyanju
One who possesses or carries a crown; a crown bearer or keeper.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 289 Americans carry the last name Adeyanju. That puts it at #81,047 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,186,001 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Adeyanju 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.
Bearers in the US
289
1 in 1,186,001
Census rank
#81,047
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
252
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 252 bearers of the surname Adeyanju in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 81047th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Adeyanju, the largest self-reported group is Black at 92.9%. The next largest groups are White (4.0%) and Two or More Races (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Adeyanju
The surname Adeyanju has its origins in the Yoruba ethnic group of Nigeria. The name is a combination of two Yoruba words, "Ade" meaning "crown" or "royalty," and "Yanju" meaning "walks with" or "accompanies." The name likely originated in the 16th or 17th century, during the height of the Oyo Empire, one of the largest and most influential Yoruba kingdoms.
The Adeyanju name is closely associated with the ancient town of Iwo, located in present-day Osun State, Nigeria. Iwo was a prominent settlement within the Oyo Empire, known for its skilled craftsmen and traders. It is believed that the earliest bearers of the Adeyanju name were either members of the royal family or close associates of the ruling class.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Adeyanju name can be found in the oral histories and folklore of the Yoruba people. These stories often mention individuals with the name, highlighting their wisdom, bravery, and loyalty to the Oyo kings. However, written records from that era are scarce.
In the 19th century, during the era of European exploration and colonization, several notable individuals with the Adeyanju surname emerged. One such figure was Adetayo Adeyanju (1825-1898), a renowned trader and diplomat who facilitated commercial relations between the Oyo Empire and British colonial authorities.
Another prominent Adeyanju was Oluyemi Adeyanju (1860-1932), a skilled warrior and military strategist who played a crucial role in defending Iwo against rival kingdoms and colonial incursions. His exploits earned him the title of "Balogun," a high-ranking military commander.
In more recent times, the Adeyanju name has continued to be associated with accomplished individuals. One notable example is Tunde Adeyanju (1957-), a Nigerian diplomat and former Ambassador to the United States, who served from 2011 to 2016.
Adeyinka Adeyanju (1970-), a Nigerian-born British actress, has also gained recognition for her roles in various television and film productions, including the acclaimed series "Guerrilla" and the movie "The Necklace."
Lastly, Deji Adeyanju (1982-) is a prominent human rights activist and social commentator in Nigeria, known for his outspoken advocacy for civil liberties and good governance.
While the Adeyanju surname has its roots in the Yoruba culture of Nigeria, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, the name's essence remains closely tied to its historical origins and the rich cultural heritage of the Yoruba people.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Adeyanju
Among Census respondents with the surname Adeyanju, the largest self-reported group is Black at 92.9%. The next largest groups are White (4.0%) and Two or More Races (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Adeyanju 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 Adeyanju surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American92.9% · 234
- White4.0% · 10
- Two or more races2.4% · 6
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Adeyanju
Adeyanju 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
#81,047
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 252
+132 bearers (+110.0%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Up 58,181 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #81,047 | 252 | 0.08 | +132 bearers (+110.0%) | Up 58,181 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 Adeyanju 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 | #139,228 | #81,047 | 41.8% |
| Count | 120 | 252 | 110.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.08 | 110.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Adeyanju bearers went from 120 to 252 (+110.0% change). The surname moved up 58,181 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #81,047.
FAQ
Adeyanju surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Adeyanju?
Name Census estimates that about 289 living Americans carry the surname Adeyanju. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,186,001 residents.
How common is Adeyanju?
Adeyanju ranks #81,047 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 252 people with the surname Adeyanju. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (289), 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 Adeyanju.
Has Adeyanju become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Adeyanju went from 120 recorded bearers to 252. That is an increase of 132 (+110.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #139,228 to #81,047.
What does the Census say about the background of Adeyanju?
Among Census respondents with the surname Adeyanju, the largest self-reported group is Black at 92.9%. The next largest groups are White (4.0%) and Two or More Races (2.4%). 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 Adeyanju in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.9% (234 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Adeyanju appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (92.9%), White (4.0%), Two or More Races (2.4%). 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 Adeyanju (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 Adeyanju mean?
One who possesses or carries a crown; a crown bearer or keeper. 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 Adeyanju (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 common is the surname Adeyanju?
If you just want to know how many people have the last name Adeyanju, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.