2010
#126,018
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 136
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Agbaje
One who was born with a crown of glory or born during a festival.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 342 Americans carry the last name Agbaje. That puts it at #70,715 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.10 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,002,206 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Agbaje 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 Agbaje with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
342
1 in 1,002,206
Census rank
#70,715
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
298
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 298 bearers of the surname Agbaje in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.10 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 70715th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Agbaje, the largest self-reported group is Black at 89.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.0%) and White (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Agbaje
The surname Agbaje has its origins in the Yoruba-speaking parts of southwestern Nigeria, particularly in the areas around Lagos and Ogun states. It is derived from the Yoruba word "agbàjọpọ̀," which means "assembly" or "gathering," suggesting that the name may have been associated with a group or gathering of people.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Agbaje can be traced back to the 18th century, though it is likely that the name existed even earlier. Some historical records from that period mention individuals with variations of the name, such as Agbajẹ or Agbájọpọ̀.
One notable historical figure with the surname Agbaje was Chief Agbaje Olola, a prominent leader and landowner in the Agege area of Lagos in the late 19th century. He played a significant role in the development of the region and was instrumental in the establishment of several communities.
Another historical figure was Reverend Agbaje Foyanmu, a Christian missionary who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was actively involved in spreading Christianity and establishing churches in various parts of Yorubaland.
In the early 20th century, Madam Agbaje Akinsanya was a well-known businesswoman and trader in the Ikorodu area of Lagos. She was influential in the local market and contributed to the economic growth of the region.
During the colonial era, Chief Agbaje Akingbade was a prominent leader in the Ijebu-Ode area of Ogun State. He played a crucial role in mediating between the local communities and the British colonial authorities.
In more recent times, Chief Agbaje Agbabiaka was a respected traditional ruler and community leader in the Ota area of Ogun State in the latter half of the 20th century.
While the surname Agbaje is predominantly found in southwestern Nigeria, it has also spread to other parts of the country and the world due to migration and the diaspora. However, the name's origins can be traced back to the Yoruba-speaking regions of Nigeria, where it has a rich historical significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Agbaje
Among Census respondents with the surname Agbaje, the largest self-reported group is Black at 89.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.0%) and White (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Agbaje 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 Agbaje surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American89.6% · 267
- Two or more races5.0% · 15
- White3.0% · 9
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Agbaje
Agbaje 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
#70,715
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 298
+162 bearers (+119.1%)
Per 100,000 0.10
Rank movement Up 55,303 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #126,018 | 136 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #70,715 | 298 | 0.10 | +162 bearers (+119.1%) | Up 55,303 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 Agbaje 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 | #126,018 | #70,715 | 43.9% |
| Count | 136 | 298 | 119.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.10 | 99.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Agbaje bearers went from 136 to 298 (+119.1% change). The surname moved up 55,303 positions in the national ranking, going from #126,018 to #70,715.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Agbaje
FAQ
Agbaje surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Agbaje?
Name Census estimates that about 342 living Americans carry the surname Agbaje. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,002,206 residents.
How common is Agbaje?
Agbaje ranks #70,715 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.10 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 298 people with the surname Agbaje. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (342), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.1 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.10 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 Agbaje.
Has Agbaje become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Agbaje went from 136 recorded bearers to 298. That is an increase of 162 (+119.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #126,018 to #70,715.
What does the Census say about the background of Agbaje?
Among Census respondents with the surname Agbaje, the largest self-reported group is Black at 89.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.0%) and White (3.0%). 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 Agbaje in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.6% (267 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Agbaje appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (89.6%), Two or More Races (5.0%), White (3.0%). 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 Agbaje (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 Agbaje mean?
One who was born with a crown of glory or born during a festival. 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 Agbaje (0.10 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 share the surname Agbaje?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.