Danquah last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Danquah

A surname of Akan origin referring to someone who migrated to a new area.

Danquah, 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 Danquah surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Danquah in America

Danquah is the 57639th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Danquah surname appeared 353 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 Danquah.

We can also compare 2010 data for Danquah 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 57639 112365 -64.38%
Count 353 145 83.53%
Proportion per 100k 0.12 0.05 82.35%

The history of the last name Danquah

The surname Danquah is of Ghanaian origin, tracing its roots back to the Akan people of West Africa. It is believed to have emerged during the late 15th century or early 16th century, when the powerful Akwamu Kingdom was at its peak.

The name Danquah is derived from the Akan word "dan," which means "to take refuge" or "to seek shelter." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who sought protection or refuge during times of conflict or unrest.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Danquah can be found in the oral histories and traditions of the Akwamu Kingdom. These historical accounts mention a prominent warrior named Danquah who played a significant role in defending the kingdom against rival tribes and invaders.

In the 18th century, a notable figure bearing the name Danquah was Nana Akua Danquah, a respected queen mother of the Akwamu Kingdom. She was renowned for her wisdom, leadership, and influence in shaping the kingdom's political and social landscape during her reign.

During the 19th century, the name Danquah gained further prominence when Joseph Ephraim Casely-Hayford, a prominent Ghanaian writer, educator, and politician, adopted the name Danquah as his middle name. He was a leading figure in the early nationalist movement and played a crucial role in advocating for Ghanaian independence.

Another significant bearer of the name Danquah was Joseph Boakye Danquah, a Ghanaian statesman, scholar, and one of the founding fathers of modern Ghana. Born in 1895 and often referred to as the "Doyen of Ghanaian politics," he was instrumental in the country's struggle for independence from British colonial rule.

In the literary world, Ama Ata Aidoo, a renowned Ghanaian author, and academic, also carried the Danquah surname as her middle name. Born in 1942, she is celebrated for her contributions to African literature and her exploration of themes related to feminism, postcolonialism, and Ghanaian culture.

Throughout its history, the surname Danquah has been associated with individuals who have made significant contributions to various fields, including politics, education, and literature, making it a name deeply rooted in the cultural and historical fabric of Ghana.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Danquah

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

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 Danquah was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 1.42% 5
Non-Hispanic Black Only 96.88% 342
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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 Danquah has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 1.42% (S)% (S)%
Black 96.88% 89.66% 7.74%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% 0.00% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races (S)% 9.66% (S)%
Hispanic (S)% (S)% (S)%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Danquah last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/danquah-surname-popularity/.

"Danquah last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/danquah-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 December, 2024

Danquah last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/danquah-surname-popularity/.

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