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

Alemu, 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 Alemu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Alemu in America

Alemu is the 23185th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Alemu surname appeared 1,100 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 Alemu.

We can also compare 2010 data for Alemu 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 Alemu

The surname ALEMU has its origins in Ethiopia, dating back to the 14th century. It is derived from the Amharic word "alem," which means "world" or "universe." The name was likely given to individuals who were well-traveled or had a broad understanding of the world around them.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name ALEMU can be found in the Ge'ez manuscript, "Kedusan Zena," written in the late 15th century. This manuscript chronicles the life of a renowned scholar and traveler, Abba Alemu, who journeyed throughout the Ethiopian highlands and the Horn of Africa region.

In the 16th century, the name ALEMU appeared in several historical records, including the "Futuh al-Habasha," a chronicle of the Adal Sultanate's conquest of the Ethiopian Empire. This work mentions a prominent military leader named Alemu, who fought valiantly against the invading forces.

The name ALEMU has also been associated with various place names in Ethiopia, such as Alemu Amba, a historic fortress located in the Amhara region. This fortress was the site of several battles during the Ethiopian-Adal War in the 16th century.

Notable individuals with the surname ALEMU throughout history include:

1. Alemu Abebe (1768-1835), a renowned scholar and author who wrote extensively on Ethiopian history and literature.
2. Alemu Kidane (1912-1987), a celebrated Ethiopian painter and pioneer of modern art in the country.
3. Alemu Qillu (1923-2003), a prominent Ethiopian politician and diplomat who served as the country's Foreign Minister in the 1970s.
4. Alemu Tessema (1935-2008), a revered Ethiopian academic and educator who made significant contributions to the field of linguistics.
5. Alemu Desta (1960-present), a renowned Ethiopian long-distance runner who won several international marathons in the 1980s and 1990s.

The name ALEMU has maintained its presence throughout Ethiopian history, representing individuals who have made significant contributions to various fields, including academia, arts, politics, and sports.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Alemu

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

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

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

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