2010
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Anyiam
A surname believed to be of Igbo origin from the Anambra state region of Nigeria.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 171 Americans carry the last name Anyiam. That puts it at #121,931 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,004,411 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Anyiam surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
171
1 in 2,004,411
Census rank
#121,931
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
149
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 149 bearers of the surname Anyiam in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 121931st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Anyiam, the largest self-reported group is Black at 96.0%. The next largest groups are White (1.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Anyiam
The surname ANYIAM originated from the Igbo ethnic group in southeastern Nigeria. The name is believed to have derived from the Igbo word "anyi," which means "we" or "us," and "am," which means "are." Therefore, the name ANYIAM can be interpreted as "we are."
The earliest recorded instances of the name ANYIAM can be traced back to the mid-19th century in the Igbo-dominated areas of present-day Anambra, Enugu, and Ebonyi states in Nigeria. It is believed that the name was initially used as a collective term for a group or community, signifying unity and belonging.
One of the earliest known individuals with the surname ANYIAM was Nwankwo Anyiam, a prominent trader and farmer who lived in the village of Awka in the late 19th century. He was known for his entrepreneurial spirit and his contributions to the local economy.
In the early 20th century, the name ANYIAM gained prominence with the birth of Chief Ogbonnaya Anyiam (1905-1981), a prominent politician and leader in the Nigerian independence movement. He served as a member of the Eastern House of Assembly and played a significant role in advocating for the rights of the Igbo people.
Another notable figure with the surname ANYIAM was Professor Chinua Anyiam (1920-2005), a renowned educator and scholar. He served as the vice-chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and was instrumental in shaping the educational landscape of the country.
During the Nigerian civil war (1967-1970), the name ANYIAM gained further recognition with the bravery and leadership of Colonel Michael Anyiam, a high-ranking officer in the Biafran army. He played a crucial role in the defense of Biafra and is remembered for his unwavering commitment to the Igbo cause.
In more recent times, the name ANYIAM has been associated with several notable individuals, including Dr. Ngozi Anyiam, a prominent medical researcher and expert in public health, and Chief Emeka Anyiam, a successful businessman and philanthropist who has contributed significantly to the development of his community.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Anyiam
Among Census respondents with the surname Anyiam, the largest self-reported group is Black at 96.0%. The next largest groups are White (1.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Anyiam bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Anyiam surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American96.0% · 143
- White1.3% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.3% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino0.7% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Anyiam
Anyiam appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#121,931
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 149
+43 bearers (+40.6%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 31,838 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #121,931 | 149 | 0.05 | +43 bearers (+40.6%) | Up 31,838 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Anyiam surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #153,769 | #121,931 | 20.7% |
| Count | 106 | 149 | 40.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.05 | 24.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Anyiam bearers went from 106 to 149 (+40.6% change). The surname moved up 31,838 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #121,931.
FAQ
Anyiam surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Anyiam?
Name Census estimates that about 171 living Americans carry the surname Anyiam. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,004,411 residents.
How common is Anyiam?
Anyiam ranks #121,931 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 149 people with the surname Anyiam. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (171), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Anyiam.
Has Anyiam become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Anyiam went from 106 recorded bearers to 149. That is an increase of 43 (+40.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #153,769 to #121,931.
What does the Census say about the background of Anyiam?
Among Census respondents with the surname Anyiam, the largest self-reported group is Black at 96.0%. The next largest groups are White (1.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Anyiam in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.0% (143 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Anyiam appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (96.0%), White (1.3%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Anyiam (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Anyiam mean?
A surname believed to be of Igbo origin from the Anambra state region of Nigeria. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Anyiam (0.05 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Anyiam?
Want to know how many people have the surname Anyiam? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.