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

Fofanah, 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 Fofanah surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fofanah in America

Fofanah is the 49914th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fofanah surname appeared 420 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 Fofanah.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fofanah 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 Fofanah

The surname Fofanah has its origins in West Africa, specifically in the region of present-day Guinea. It is believed to have emerged as early as the 13th century, with records indicating that it was associated with various ethnic groups in the region, such as the Susu and Mandinka peoples.

The name Fofanah is thought to be derived from an ancient Mandinka word, possibly related to a specific clan or lineage. Some scholars suggest it may have been a descriptive name, referring to an individual's physical characteristics or occupation. However, the exact meaning and etymology have been lost over time.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, as the trans-Atlantic slave trade intensified, many individuals bearing the name Fofanah were forcibly transported from their homeland to various parts of the Americas, including the Caribbean islands and the United States. This diaspora led to the dispersal of the name across different continents.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Fofanah can be found in the records of the British colony of Sierra Leone, where several individuals with this surname were noted in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Notable figures from this period include Fode Fofanah, a merchant and community leader in Freetown, Sierra Leone, who lived from 1765 to 1832.

In the 19th century, the name Fofanah appeared in various historical records and documents related to the African diaspora in the Americas. One prominent individual was Mamadu Fofanah, a former enslaved person from Guinea who became a successful businessman and landowner in Louisiana after gaining his freedom in the 1850s.

As the 20th century dawned, the name Fofanah continued to be associated with individuals of West African descent, both in their ancestral homelands and in diaspora communities around the world. Notable figures include Fodeba Fofanah, a Guinean diplomat and politician who served as the country's ambassador to several nations in the 1960s and 1970s.

In more recent times, the name Fofanah has been carried by individuals from various professions and backgrounds, including writers, artists, and academics. One such example is Amadu Fofanah, a Sierra Leonean author and educator who has written extensively on topics related to African history and culture.

Overall, the surname Fofanah has a rich and diverse history, spanning several centuries and continents. Its origins can be traced back to the ancient ethnic groups of West Africa, and it has been borne by numerous individuals who have made significant contributions to their communities and societies.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fofanah

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

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

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

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