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

Bongo, 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 Bongo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bongo in America

Bongo is the 65424th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bongo surname appeared 303 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 Bongo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bongo 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 Bongo

The surname Bongo has its origins in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly known as Zaire, in West-Central Africa. It is believed to have emerged in the late 16th or early 17th century, derived from the Kongo language word "mbongo," which means "drum" or "to drum." The name likely referred to someone who played drums or was associated with drumming, which has been a significant part of African cultural traditions for centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Bongo surname can be found in the writings of the Portuguese explorer and missionary Duarte Lopez, who traveled to the Kingdom of Kongo in the late 16th century. In his accounts, he mentions encountering individuals with the surname Bongo, indicating its presence in the region during that time.

The name Bongo has also been linked to various place names in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, such as the Bongo River and the Bongo region. These geographic associations suggest that the surname may have originated from specific localities where drumming or other related cultural practices were prominent.

In the 18th century, a notable figure bearing the Bongo surname was Ntumba Mvemba Bongo, a prominent chief and diplomat in the Kingdom of Kongo. He played a crucial role in negotiations with Portuguese authorities and helped maintain relations between the Kingdom and European powers.

Another historical figure with the Bongo surname was Nzinga Mbemba Bongo, a celebrated poet and philosopher who lived in the late 17th century. His writings and teachings on African wisdom and spirituality have been widely studied and celebrated.

During the 19th century, Kongo Bongo was a respected healer and herbalist in the Bongo region, renowned for his knowledge of traditional medicine and healing practices. His legacy contributed to the preservation of indigenous medical traditions.

In the early 20th century, Matondo Bongo was a prominent artist and sculptor from the Bongo region, known for his intricate wood carvings and masks that captured the essence of Kongo culture and beliefs.

Towards the latter part of the 20th century, Tshilombo Bongo was a renowned activist and leader in the struggle for independence and human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. His efforts and sacrifices were instrumental in shaping the country's political landscape.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bongo

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

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

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

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