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

Ekpo, 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 Ekpo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ekpo in America

Ekpo is the 63373rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ekpo surname appeared 315 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 Ekpo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ekpo 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 Ekpo

The surname EKPO is believed to have originated from the Efik people of Cross River State, Nigeria. It is an indigenous African name that traces its roots back to the 17th century when European traders and missionaries first arrived in the region.

EKPO is derived from the Efik word "ekpor" which means "wealth" or "riches". It is believed that the name was originally given to individuals or families who were considered prosperous or affluent within their communities. The Efik people are known for their rich cultural heritage and their involvement in the historic slave trade and palm oil trade with European merchants.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname EKPO can be found in the journal of a Dutch trader named Jan Huygen van Linschoten, who visited the Efik region in the late 16th century. He made note of an Efik chief named "Ekpo Okon" who controlled the trade routes in the area.

Another notable early reference to the name EKPO comes from the writings of the Scottish explorer and missionary, Mary Slessor, who lived and worked among the Efik people in the late 19th century. She mentions an Efik chief named "Ekpo Ndem" who was a powerful figure in the region.

One of the earliest known individuals to bear the surname EKPO was Ekpo Edem (1820-1890), a prominent Efik merchant and trader who played a significant role in the palm oil trade with European merchants in the 19th century.

Another notable figure was Ekpo Inyang (1850-1925), an Efik chief and political leader who was instrumental in negotiating treaties with the British colonial authorities in the late 19th century.

In more recent history, some famous individuals with the surname EKPO include:

• Ekpo Utip Bassey (1900-1980), a Nigerian politician and diplomat who served as the first Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
• Ekpo Nta (1920-2001), a Nigerian academic and writer who was a pioneer in the field of African literature.
• Ekpo Eyo (1936-2021), a renowned Nigerian archaeologist and scholar who made significant contributions to the study of Nigerian art and culture.
• Ekpo Esito (1945-2020), a Nigerian businessman and philanthropist who was a prominent figure in the oil and gas industry.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ekpo

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

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

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

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