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

Donkor, 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 Donkor surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Donkor in America

Donkor is the 33410th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Donkor surname appeared 683 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 Donkor.

We can also compare 2010 data for Donkor 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 Donkor

The surname DONKOR has its origins in the Akan people of Ghana in West Africa. The name is derived from the word "donko" which means "elephant" in the Akan language of Twi. It is likely that the name was originally given as a nickname or descriptive name to someone associated with elephants or who possessed elephant-like qualities.

The earliest recorded instances of the DONKOR surname can be traced back to the 17th century in parts of the Ashanti region and the former Gold Coast colony of modern-day Ghana. Some variations in spelling include Donkoh, Donkor, and Donkur, reflecting regional dialects and European transcription differences.

One of the earliest known individuals with the DONKOR surname was Kwame Donkor, a respected chief and military leader from the Akwamu Kingdom who lived in the late 17th century. He played a pivotal role in the expansion of the Akwamu Empire and was renowned for his strategic prowess in battles against the Akyem and Asante confederacies.

Another notable figure in history was Kofi Donkor, a prominent merchant and trader from the Fante region in the 18th century. He was instrumental in facilitating trade between the coastal regions and the interior Ashanti Kingdom, dealing in goods such as gold, ivory, and agricultural products.

In the 19th century, Yaa Donkor was a renowned traditional healer and herbalist from the Akuapem area. She was highly respected for her extensive knowledge of medicinal plants and her ability to treat various ailments using natural remedies.

During the early 20th century, Kwasi Donkor was a pioneering educator who established one of the first schools in the Akwapim Hills region. He was dedicated to promoting education and literacy among the local communities, paving the way for future generations to receive formal education.

More recently, in the latter half of the 20th century, Ama Ata Aidoo, a prominent Ghanaian author and playwright, was born Ama Ata Donkor in 1942. Her literary works, which explore themes of African feminism and post-colonial identity, have received international acclaim and recognition.

The DONKOR surname continues to be prevalent among the Akan people of Ghana, particularly in the Ashanti, Akuapem, and Fante regions, reflecting its deep-rooted history and cultural significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Donkor

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

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

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

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