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

Dembélé, 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 Dembélé surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dembélé in America

Dembélé is the 63873rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dembélé surname appeared 312 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 Dembélé.

The history of the last name Dembélé

The surname Dembele is of West African origin, specifically from the Malinke people of Mali. It has its roots in the Mande languages spoken in this region. The name is believed to have derived from the Bambara word "dembélé," which means "a leader or chief."

Historically, the Dembele name can be traced back to the Mali Empire, a powerful medieval West African state that existed from the 13th to the 17th century. During this period, the Dembele family likely held positions of prominence and leadership within the empire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Dembele name can be found in the epic of Sundiata Keita, a legendary ruler of the Mali Empire. The epic, which dates back to the 13th century, mentions a character named Dembele who played a significant role in the rise of Sundiata Keita to power.

Notably, the Dembele name has been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One such figure was Bilaly Dembele, a renowned Malian diplomat and statesman who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mali in the 1960s. Another prominent individual was Mamadou Dembele, a celebrated Malian writer and poet whose works explored themes of identity, culture, and social justice.

Another historical figure with the Dembele name was Amadou Dembele, a prominent military leader and strategist during the Bamana Empire, which succeeded the Mali Empire in the 17th century. Amadou Dembele is credited with leading successful military campaigns that helped to expand the Bamana Empire's territories.

In the 19th century, Ousmane Dembele was a prominent leader in the Toucouleur Empire, a West African state that ruled over parts of present-day Mali, Senegal, and Guinea. Ousmane Dembele played a pivotal role in the empire's political and military affairs, and his name is well-documented in historical records of the time.

The Dembele surname has also been associated with notable figures in the arts and literature. One such individual was Moussa Dembele, a renowned Malian sculptor and artist who gained international recognition for his intricate wood carvings depicting scenes from Malian life and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dembélé

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

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 Dembélé 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.

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

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

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