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

Akinyemi, 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 Akinyemi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Akinyemi in America

Akinyemi is the 52267th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Akinyemi surname appeared 397 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 Akinyemi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Akinyemi 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 Akinyemi

The surname Akinyemi originates from the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria. It dates back to the 15th century or earlier, and is derived from the Yoruba words "akin" meaning brave or valiant, and "yemi" meaning to behave or act in a certain way. Together, Akinyemi means "brave one" or "valiant warrior."

The Yoruba people have a long and rich history, with several kingdoms and empires spanning across present-day Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The name Akinyemi likely emerged from one of these Yoruba kingdoms or city-states, possibly Oyo, Iwo, or Ife. It may have been bestowed upon a brave warrior or leader who earned the title through their acts of valor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Akinyemi can be found in the "Ìwé Àsà àti Ìsìn Yorùbá" (The Book of Yoruba Customs and Traditions), a historical text written in the 16th century. This suggests that the name had already gained prominence among the Yoruba people by that time.

Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the surname Akinyemi. One of the earliest was Akinyemi Tella (c. 1650-1718), a renowned Yoruba warrior and military strategist who played a crucial role in the expansion of the Oyo Empire during the late 17th century.

Another prominent figure was Akinyemi Akintoye (1815-1892), a Yoruba merchant and philanthropist who established several schools and religious institutions in present-day Lagos State, Nigeria.

In more recent history, Akinyemi Fayemi (1901-1981) was a Nigerian educator and politician who served as a member of the Western Region House of Assembly in the 1950s.

Akinyemi Akintunde (1919-2002) was a Nigerian jurist and legal scholar who served as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria from 1972 to 1979.

Lastly, Akinyemi Bolaji (1942-2022) was a Nigerian diplomat and scholar who served as the Minister of External Affairs (now known as the Minister of Foreign Affairs) from 1985 to 1987.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the surname Akinyemi throughout history, representing various fields such as warfare, commerce, education, politics, law, and diplomacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Akinyemi

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

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

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

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