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

Coulibaly, 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 Coulibaly surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Coulibaly in America

Coulibaly is the 23251st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Coulibaly surname appeared 1,096 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 Coulibaly.

We can also compare 2010 data for Coulibaly 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 Coulibaly

The Coulibaly surname originates from the West African nation of Mali, dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Malinke language, with "Kuli" meaning "war" and "baly" meaning "second." The name was initially given to the second son of a warrior or someone skilled in battle.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Coulibaly name appears in a 14th-century manuscript detailing the lineage of the Keita Dynasty, which ruled the Mali Empire. The document mentions a prominent figure named Coulibaly Moussa, who served as a military advisor to the emperor Mansa Musa during his famous pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324.

In the 16th century, the Coulibaly family played a significant role in the resistance against the Moroccan invasion of the Songhai Empire. A notable figure from this period was Coulibaly Bakary, a skilled strategist and leader who organized a guerrilla campaign against the Moroccan forces.

During the 19th century, the Coulibaly name gained prominence in the Wassoulou region of present-day Mali. This area was known for its rich musical traditions, and several Coulibaly griots (storytellers and musicians) became renowned for their talents. One such individual was Coulibaly Nene, a celebrated singer and kora player who lived from 1820 to 1890.

Another notable figure was Coulibaly Mamadou, a respected Islamic scholar and leader who lived from 1835 to 1905. He played a crucial role in spreading Islam throughout the region and establishing educational institutions.

In the 20th century, the Coulibaly name gained international recognition with individuals like Coulibaly Souleymane, a celebrated novelist and playwright born in 1933. His works explored themes of cultural identity, colonialism, and social justice.

It is worth mentioning that the Coulibaly surname is also found in other West African countries, such as Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso, due to migration and cultural exchange within the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Coulibaly

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

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

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

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