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

Diawara, 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 Diawara surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Diawara in America

Diawara is the 40371st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Diawara surname appeared 542 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 Diawara.

We can also compare 2010 data for Diawara 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 Diawara

The surname Diawara originates from the West African nation of Mali. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the Soninke language and is thought to be connected to the village or region of Diawara in the Kayes region of western Mali.

Some historians suggest that the name Diawara may have roots in the ancient Soninke word "jia" or "dia," which means "to belong" or "to originate from." This suggests that the name may have initially denoted a person or family from the Diawara area or village. The suffix "-wara" or "-ouara" is also a common component in many Soninke surnames, often indicating a place of origin.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Diawara name can be found in the chronicles of the Mali Empire, which ruled a vast territory in West Africa from the 13th to the 17th century. These chronicles mention several individuals with the Diawara surname who held influential positions within the empire's administration or military.

Notably, Moussa Diawara, born around 1320, was a renowned military commander and advisor to the legendary emperor Mansa Musa. He is said to have played a crucial role in the empire's expansion and consolidation of power during that era.

In the 16th century, a Diawara family was recorded as residing in the ancient city of Timbuktu, a major center of Islamic learning and scholarship during that time. This family produced several notable scholars and religious leaders, contributing significantly to the city's intellectual and cultural legacy.

Another prominent figure associated with the Diawara name was Bakary Diawara, who lived in the late 18th century. He was a revered Islamic scholar and spiritual leader in the Kayes region, known for his vast knowledge of religious texts and his teachings on moral and ethical principles.

In more recent history, Moustapha Diawara, born in 1953, was a celebrated Malian writer and playwright. His works explored themes of cultural identity, tradition, and the complexities of modern African societies. Diawara's literary contributions earned him numerous accolades, including the prestigious Grand Prix des Mémoires Littéraires d'Afrique Noire in 1987.

Other notable individuals with the Diawara surname include Amadou Diawara, a Malian musician and guitarist who gained international recognition for his contributions to the West African blues and desert blues genres, and Cheick Oumar Diawara, a Malian politician and diplomat who served as Foreign Minister in the late 1990s.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Diawara

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

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

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

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