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

Agu, 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 Agu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Agu in America

Agu is the 45959th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Agu surname appeared 464 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 Agu.

We can also compare 2010 data for Agu 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 Agu

The surname Agu is believed to have originated from the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria. It is thought to have derived from the Igbo word "agu," meaning "lion" or "war." This suggests that the name may have been given to individuals who displayed bravery or strength in battle.

The earliest records of the Agu surname date back to the 16th century, when it appeared in various historical documents and manuscripts from the region. One of the earliest known individuals with this surname was Eze Agu, a prominent warrior and leader of the Onitsha Kingdom in the late 16th century.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Agu surname became more widespread among the Igbo people, particularly in the areas around the towns of Onitsha, Awka, and Enugu. During this time, several notable figures with the Agu surname emerged, including Nnamdi Agu, a renowned trader and diplomat who facilitated trade relations between the Igbo and neighboring communities in the late 17th century.

In the 19th century, the Agu surname gained further prominence with the birth of Olaudah Agu (1745-1797), a renowned writer, abolitionist, and former slave who authored the influential narrative "The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano." His work played a significant role in raising awareness about the horrors of the transatlantic slave trade.

Another notable individual with the Agu surname was Chinua Agu (1930-2013), a celebrated Nigerian novelist, poet, and playwright. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential African writers of the 20th century and is best known for his novels "Things Fall Apart" and "Arrow of God," which explored the conflicts between traditional Igbo culture and the impact of colonialism.

In more recent times, the Agu surname has been carried by several prominent individuals, including Chimamanda Ngozi Agu, a renowned Nigerian novelist and author of the critically acclaimed novels "Purple Hibiscus" and "Half of a Yellow Sun," which won the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2007.

While the Agu surname originated from the Igbo people of Nigeria, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and the African diaspora. Today, individuals with the Agu surname can be found in countries like the United States, United Kingdom, and other parts of Africa and the Caribbean.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Agu

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

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

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

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