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

Ayo, 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 Ayo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ayo in America

Ayo is the 28940th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ayo surname appeared 821 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 Ayo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ayo 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 Ayo

The surname Ayo originated from the Yoruba people of western Nigeria, dating back to the 16th century. The name is derived from the Yoruba word "ayo," meaning joy or happiness. It is believed that the name was initially given to children born during times of celebration or festivities.

In the early 19th century, records show that the Ayo name appeared in various regions of present-day Nigeria, particularly in the southwestern states of Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo. The name was commonly found among the Yoruba nobility and royal families, indicating its prestigious heritage.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Ayo name can be found in the writings of Samuel Ajayi Crowther, a Yoruba scholar and linguist who lived from 1809 to 1891. Crowther's works provided valuable insights into the Yoruba language and culture, including references to the Ayo surname.

Historically, the Ayo name has been associated with several notable individuals. In the 18th century, Ayo Vaughan (1744-1810) was a Yoruba-British merchant and activist who advocated for the abolition of the slave trade. His efforts contributed to the eventual abolition of slavery in the British Empire.

Another influential figure bearing the Ayo surname was Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti (1900-1978), a prominent Nigerian activist and women's rights pioneer. She played a significant role in the struggle for Nigerian independence and the emancipation of women in her country.

In the realm of literature, Ayo Bamgbose (1932-2022) was a renowned Nigerian linguist and scholar who made significant contributions to the study of African languages, particularly Yoruba. His works have been widely cited and influential in the field of linguistics.

Ayo Akinfe (born 1964) is a contemporary Nigerian-British writer and journalist who has published several books exploring the history and culture of the Yoruba people. His work has helped to preserve and promote the rich heritage of the Yoruba ethnic group.

The Ayo surname has also been associated with various place names and locations in Nigeria. For example, Ayo-Iwo is a town in the Oyo State, and Ayo-Oke is a community in the Osun State, both named after individuals or families bearing the Ayo name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ayo

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

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

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

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