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

Bamba, 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 Bamba surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bamba in America

Bamba is the 25003rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bamba surname appeared 994 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 Bamba.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bamba 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 Bamba

The surname Bamba is believed to have originated in West Africa, specifically in the regions of Senegal, Mali, and Guinea. It is thought to be derived from the Mandinka word "bamba," which means "respectful" or "honorable."

The earliest known records of the name Bamba date back to the 18th century, when it was documented in various historical documents and manuscripts from the region. One notable mention is in the "Tarik al-Fattash," an important chronicle written by the scholar and historian Ahmad Baba al-Massufi al-Timbukti in the early 17th century.

In the 19th century, the name Bamba gained widespread recognition due to the influential Sufi leader and founder of the Mouride Brotherhood, Ahmadu Bamba Mbacké (1853-1927). He was born in the village of Mbacké-Baol, Senegal, and played a significant role in the spread of Islam and the fight against French colonial rule in West Africa.

Another notable figure with the surname Bamba was Samba Bamba Ankh (1917-1987), a Senegalese historian, writer, and activist. He was a prominent figure in the Negritude movement and advocated for African cultural identity and independence.

In more recent times, the name Bamba has been carried by individuals such as Souleymane Bamba (born 1958), a Senegalese footballer who played for several clubs in France and represented the Senegalese national team in the 1980s.

Awa Bamba (born 1976) is a Senegalese singer and songwriter known for her fusion of traditional Senegalese music with modern styles. She has released several albums and has performed internationally, promoting the rich cultural heritage of her country.

The surname Bamba has also been associated with various place names in West Africa, such as the village of Bamba in Mali and the town of Bamba Thialène in Senegal. These places may have derived their names from individuals bearing the Bamba surname or from the Mandinka word itself.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bamba

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

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

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

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