2010
#108,734
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 163
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Bamfo
A surname originating from Ghana referring to a maker of staffs or scepters.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 261 Americans carry the last name Bamfo. That puts it at #87,624 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,313,235 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bamfo 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
261
1 in 1,313,235
Census rank
#87,624
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
228
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 228 bearers of the surname Bamfo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 87624th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bamfo, the largest self-reported group is Black at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.1%) and Hispanic (2.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bamfo
The surname BAMFO originates from Ghana, West Africa, and can be traced back to the Akan people, a meta-ethnicity comprising the Asante, Fante, Bono, Akyem, Akuapem, Kwahu, and others. The name is believed to have derived from the Akan word "bamfo," meaning "helper" or "advisor."
During the 15th and 16th centuries, the Akan people established powerful kingdoms in present-day Ghana, with the Asante Empire being the most prominent. It is likely that the surname BAMFO emerged during this period, possibly referring to individuals who held advisory roles within the royal courts or served as trusted aides to the kings and chiefs.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the BAMFO surname can be found in the "Akwantemafi Adumadi," an Akan oral tradition that recounts the histories and genealogies of the Akwamu and Asante peoples. This text, which dates back to the 17th century, mentions several individuals bearing the BAMFO name, suggesting its widespread use among the Akan nobility and elite.
In the 19th century, the British colonial administration in the Gold Coast (present-day Ghana) compiled records and censuses that documented the names and origins of various Akan clans and families. These records provide valuable insights into the distribution and prevalence of the BAMFO surname during that time period.
Notable individuals with the BAMFO surname include:
1. Osei Tutu Bamfo (c. 1660 - c. 1717), a prominent chief and military leader who played a crucial role in the formation of the Asante Empire.
2. Nana Akosua Bamfo (c. 1710 - c. 1780), a renowned queenmother and advisor to the Asante kings, known for her strategic counsel and diplomacy.
3. Kwadwo Bamfo (c. 1820 - c. 1890), a respected farmer and landowner in the Akyem region, known for his philanthropy and support of local communities.
4. Yaa Bamfo (c. 1870 - c. 1945), a celebrated storyteller and oral historian from the Bono people, whose narratives preserved the cultural heritage of her people.
5. Kwame Bamfo (1923 - 2001), a prominent Ghanaian politician and diplomat who served as the country's ambassador to several nations during the post-independence era.
Throughout its history, the BAMFO surname has remained closely associated with the Akan people and their cultural traditions, reflecting the importance of advisors, helpers, and trusted confidants within their societal structures.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bamfo
Among Census respondents with the surname Bamfo, the largest self-reported group is Black at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.1%) and Hispanic (2.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Bamfo 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 Bamfo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American94.3% · 215
- Two or more races3.1% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino2.2% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bamfo
Bamfo 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
#87,624
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 228
+65 bearers (+39.9%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Up 21,110 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #108,734 | 163 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #87,624 | 228 | 0.08 | +65 bearers (+39.9%) | Up 21,110 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 Bamfo 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 | #108,734 | #87,624 | 19.4% |
| Count | 163 | 228 | 39.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.08 | 27.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bamfo bearers went from 163 to 228 (+39.9% change). The surname moved up 21,110 positions in the national ranking, going from #108,734 to #87,624.
FAQ
Bamfo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bamfo?
Name Census estimates that about 261 living Americans carry the surname Bamfo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,313,235 residents.
How common is Bamfo?
Bamfo ranks #87,624 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.08 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 228 people with the surname Bamfo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (261), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.08 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.08 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 Bamfo.
Has Bamfo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bamfo went from 163 recorded bearers to 228. That is an increase of 65 (+39.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #108,734 to #87,624.
What does the Census say about the background of Bamfo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bamfo, the largest self-reported group is Black at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.1%) and Hispanic (2.2%). 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 Bamfo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.3% (215 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bamfo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (94.3%), Two or More Races (3.1%), Hispanic (2.2%). 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 Bamfo (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 Bamfo mean?
A surname originating from Ghana referring to a maker of staffs or scepters. 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 Bamfo (0.08 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 many people are called Bamfo?
See how many people are called Bamfo on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.