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

Afolabi, 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 Afolabi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Afolabi in America

Afolabi is the 37792nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Afolabi surname appeared 588 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 Afolabi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Afolabi 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 Afolabi

The surname AFOLABI originates from the Yoruba ethnic group of southwestern Nigeria. It is believed to have emerged around the 14th century during the height of the Oyo Empire, one of the most powerful kingdoms in West Africa at the time.

AFOLABI is a compound name derived from the Yoruba words "Afi" meaning "to be born" and "Olabi" meaning "born of wealth or honor." It was likely given to children born into affluent or respected families as a way to signify their privileged status.

While no specific historical references or manuscripts mentioning the name AFOLABI have been found, it is believed to have been commonly used among the Yoruba nobility and ruling class during the pre-colonial era.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name AFOLABI can be found in the writings of Samuel Ajayi Crowther, a Yoruba explorer and linguist who lived from 1809 to 1891. Crowther documented various Yoruba names and their meanings in his works, including AFOLABI.

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have held the surname AFOLABI. One such person was Chief Obafemi Afolabi, a prominent Yoruba chief and landowner in the 19th century. Another was Alhaji Isa Afolabi, a highly respected Islamic scholar and teacher who lived in the early 20th century.

In more recent times, Afolabi Olabimtan was a renowned Nigerian painter and sculptor who lived from 1932 to 2017. His works celebrated Yoruba culture and traditions. Additionally, Tunde Afolabi was a Nigerian musician and bandleader who helped popularize Afrobeat music in the late 20th century.

While the surname AFOLABI is primarily associated with the Yoruba people of Nigeria, it has also been adopted by other ethnic groups in the region, further contributing to its rich cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Afolabi

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

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

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

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