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

Amissah, 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 Amissah surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Amissah in America

Amissah is the 90113th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Amissah surname appeared 205 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 Amissah.

The history of the last name Amissah

The surname AMISSAH is of Ghanaian origin, derived from the Akan language spoken by the Akan people of Ghana and Ivory Coast. It is believed to have originated in the 16th or 17th century during the era of the great Akan kingdoms such as the Ashanti Empire.

AMISSAH is thought to be derived from the Akan word "amisa" which means "one who is born on Sunday." The name may have been given to children born on that day as a way to commemorate their birth. It is also possible that the name has roots in the Twi dialect of the Akan language, where similar words with slightly different spellings could have been used.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name AMISSAH can be found in the writings of European traders and explorers who visited the Gold Coast (now Ghana) in the 18th century. These accounts often mentioned local chiefs and rulers, some of whom may have borne the name AMISSAH or variations of it.

In the 19th century, as European colonization of West Africa increased, more detailed records were kept by colonial officials and missionaries. These records may contain references to individuals with the surname AMISSAH, providing insight into the name's prevalence and distribution across different regions of what is now Ghana.

Notable individuals with the surname AMISSAH throughout history include:

1. Nana Amissah I, a powerful chief who ruled the Akwamu state in the late 17th century, known for his military conquests and expansion of the Akwamu Empire.

2. Kwame Amissah-Arthur (1951-2018), a Ghanaian economist and politician who served as the Vice President of Ghana from 2015 to 2017.

3. Ama Amissah, a 19th-century Ghanaian trader and entrepreneur who established one of the first successful export businesses in the Gold Coast.

4. Ebenezer Amissah (1924-2006), a Ghanaian lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of Ghana from 1986 to 1990.

5. Charles Amissah-Arthur (1921-2009), a Ghanaian diplomat and politician who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1965 to 1966.

While the surname AMISSAH has its roots in Ghana, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, its origins remain firmly grounded in the rich cultural heritage of the Akan people and their ancestral lands in West Africa.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Amissah

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

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 Amissah 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.

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

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

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