Agyeman last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Agyeman

A Ghanaian surname derived from the Akan words "agye," meaning "war," and "man," meaning "great" or "strong."

Agyeman, 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 Agyeman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Agyeman in America

Agyeman is the 33695th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Agyeman surname appeared 676 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 Agyeman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Agyeman 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 33695 49249 -37.50%
Count 676 401 51.07%
Proportion per 100k 0.23 0.15 42.11%

The history of the last name Agyeman

The surname Agyeman originates from Ghana in West Africa. It is an Akan name that has its roots in the Twi language spoken by the Akan people. The name Agyeman is derived from the words "agye" meaning savior or redeemer, and "man" meaning nation or people. Together, the name carries the meaning of "savior or redeemer of the people."

The Akan people have a rich cultural heritage, and their naming traditions reflect their values and beliefs. Names in the Akan tradition often carry significant meaning and can convey attributes, circumstances surrounding birth, or aspirations for the child. The name Agyeman is believed to have originated several centuries ago, though the exact date is uncertain.

Historical records mention individuals with the surname Agyeman dating back to the 17th century. One notable figure was Nana Agyeman Badu I, a chief of the Akuapem state in the late 17th century. He is remembered for his leadership and diplomacy during a period of conflict between the Akuapem and the neighboring Akyem state.

In the 19th century, the surname Agyeman gained prominence with the birth of Nana Agyeman Prempeh I, who became the Asantehene (ruler) of the Ashanti Empire from 1888 to 1931. He played a significant role in the resistance against British colonial rule and was briefly exiled to Seychelles by the British authorities.

Another prominent figure bearing the Agyeman surname was J.E.K. Agyeman, a Ghanaian educator and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Council in the Gold Coast (now Ghana) in the 1940s. He was a vocal advocate for education and played a crucial role in the development of Ghana's educational system.

In more recent times, Fred Agyeman, a Ghanaian football player, gained recognition for his successful career, playing for various clubs in Europe, including Olympiacos and AEK Athens in Greece, between the 1990s and early 2000s.

The Agyeman surname has also been carried by notable scholars and academics, such as Julian Agyeman, a British academic and author who has made significant contributions to the fields of environmental justice and sustainable development.

While the surname Agyeman has its origins in Ghana, it has spread beyond the borders of the country and can be found among people of Akan descent in other parts of the world, including the Caribbean, North America, and Europe, reflecting the diaspora of the Akan people over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Agyeman

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

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 Agyeman was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 1.18% 8
Non-Hispanic Black Only 95.71% 647
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.63% 11
Hispanic Origin 1.18% 8

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 Agyeman has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 1.18% (S)% (S)%
Black 95.71% 93.77% 2.05%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% 0.00% (S)%
Two or More Races 1.63% 3.99% -83.99%
Hispanic 1.18% (S)% (S)%

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

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

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"Agyeman last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/agyeman-surname-popularity/.

"Agyeman last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/agyeman-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 December, 2024

Agyeman last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/agyeman-surname-popularity/.

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