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

Afework, 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 Afework surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Afework in America

Afework is the 80678th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Afework surname appeared 235 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 Afework.

We can also compare 2010 data for Afework 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 Afework

The surname AFEWORK is believed to have originated in Ethiopia during the medieval period, likely around the 13th or 14th century. It is derived from the Amharic words "afe," meaning "mouth" or "speech," and "work," meaning "gold." This suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals who were skilled orators, poets, or storytellers, whose words were considered as valuable as gold.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the AFEWORK surname can be found in the Kebra Nagast, a 14th-century literary work that recounts the glory of the Solomonic dynasty in Ethiopia. The manuscript mentions a nobleman named Afewerk, who was a prominent figure in the court of King Amda Seyon I (1314-1344).

During the 16th century, the AFEWORK surname gained prominence in the Shewa region of Ethiopia, particularly in the areas around the towns of Debre Berhan and Ankober. Several historical figures bore this name, including Afewerk Geddo (1520-1589), a renowned military leader who fought against the invading forces of Ahmed Gragn, the Sultan of Adal.

In the 18th century, the AFEWORK name was associated with the town of Afewerk, located in the Wollo region of Ethiopia. This town was named after a local chieftain named Afewerk, who played a significant role in the region's history during that period.

One of the most notable individuals with the AFEWORK surname was Afework Gebre-Yesus (1868-1947), an influential Ethiopian diplomat and politician who served as the Prime Minister of Ethiopia from 1927 to 1936. He played a crucial role in modernizing the country and strengthening its international relations.

Another prominent figure was Afework Tekle (1902-1974), an Ethiopian historian and scholar who wrote extensively on the history and culture of Ethiopia. His works, such as "The Civilisation of the Ancient Ethiopians" and "The Ethnography of the Ethiopian Highlands," are considered seminal texts in the field of Ethiopian studies.

In the 20th century, the AFEWORK surname continued to be associated with notable individuals, including Afework Abaye (1920-2013), a renowned Ethiopian artist and painter who contributed significantly to the development of modern Ethiopian art.

Throughout its history, the AFEWORK surname has remained closely tied to the rich cultural heritage of Ethiopia, reflecting the country's traditions of oratory, literature, and scholarship. Its origins and meaning have endured as a testament to the value placed on eloquence and the power of words in Ethiopian society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Afework

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

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

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

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