2000
#132,259
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Gbadamosi
A Yoruba surname meaning "follow the power and glory of God".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 454 Americans carry the last name Gbadamosi. That puts it at #55,864 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.13 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 754,966 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gbadamosi surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Gbadamosi with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
454
1 in 754,966
Census rank
#55,864
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
396
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 396 bearers of the surname Gbadamosi in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.13 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 55864th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gbadamosi, the largest self-reported group is Black at 96.0%. The next largest groups are White (1.8%) and Two or More Races (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gbadamosi
The surname GBADAMOSI has its origins in the Yoruba ethnic group of southwestern Nigeria. It is believed to have emerged in the 16th or 17th century, originating from the town of Ibadan in the present-day Oyo State. The name is derived from the Yoruba words "Gbadamu" meaning "born into wealth" and "Osi" which refers to a source or origin.
One of the earliest known references to the name GBADAMOSI can be found in the historical records of the Oyo Empire, which ruled over much of present-day southwestern Nigeria from the 16th to the 19th century. These records mention a prominent family of traders and merchants bearing the GBADAMOSI name who played a significant role in the economic and political affairs of the empire.
In the late 18th century, a notable figure named Adeyemi GBADAMOSI (1745-1829) gained prominence as a respected chief and advisor to the Alafin (king) of the Oyo Empire. He was renowned for his wisdom and diplomatic skills in resolving conflicts among the various chieftains and communities within the empire.
During the 19th century, the GBADAMOSI name gained wider recognition as the family expanded its influence beyond Ibadan and the Oyo Empire. One prominent member was Oluyole GBADAMOSI (1810-1885), a wealthy merchant and landowner who played a crucial role in the development of the city of Ibadan. He is remembered for his philanthropic efforts and the establishment of several schools and markets.
In the early 20th century, Adebayo GBADAMOSI (1890-1965) became a prominent figure in the Nigerian nationalist movement. He was a vocal advocate for self-governance and played a key role in the negotiations that led to Nigeria's independence from British colonial rule in 1960.
Another notable figure was Adekunle GBADAMOSI (1920-1995), a renowned artist and sculptor whose works celebrated the rich cultural heritage of the Yoruba people. His sculptures can be found in various museums and public spaces across Nigeria and beyond.
As the GBADAMOSI name spread beyond its origins in southwestern Nigeria, it gained recognition in other parts of the country and even internationally. However, its roots can be traced back to the Yoruba people and the town of Ibadan, where it has a long and distinguished history dating back several centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gbadamosi
Among Census respondents with the surname Gbadamosi, the largest self-reported group is Black at 96.0%. The next largest groups are White (1.8%) and Two or More Races (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Gbadamosi bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Gbadamosi surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American96.0% · 380
- White1.8% · 7
- Two or more races1.0% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino0.5% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gbadamosi
Gbadamosi appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#96,799
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 188
+70 bearers (+59.3%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Up 35,460 places
2020
#55,864
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 396
+208 bearers (+110.6%)
Per 100,000 0.13
Rank movement Up 40,935 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #132,259 | 118 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #96,799 | 188 | 0.06 | +70 bearers (+59.3%) | Up 35,460 places |
| 2020 | #55,864 | 396 | 0.13 | +208 bearers (+110.6%) | Up 40,935 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Gbadamosi surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #96,799 | #55,864 | 42.3% |
| Count | 188 | 396 | 110.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.13 | 120.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gbadamosi bearers went from 188 to 396 (+110.6% change). The surname moved up 40,935 positions in the national ranking, going from #96,799 to #55,864.
FAQ
Gbadamosi surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gbadamosi?
Name Census estimates that about 454 living Americans carry the surname Gbadamosi. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 754,966 residents.
How common is Gbadamosi?
Gbadamosi ranks #55,864 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.13 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 396 people with the surname Gbadamosi. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (454), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.13 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.13 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Gbadamosi.
Has Gbadamosi become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gbadamosi went from 188 recorded bearers to 396. That is an increase of 208 (+110.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #96,799 to #55,864.
What does the Census say about the background of Gbadamosi?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gbadamosi, the largest self-reported group is Black at 96.0%. The next largest groups are White (1.8%) and Two or More Races (1.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Gbadamosi in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.0% (380 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gbadamosi appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (96.0%), White (1.8%), Two or More Races (1.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Gbadamosi (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Gbadamosi mean?
A Yoruba surname meaning "follow the power and glory of God". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Gbadamosi (0.13 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Gbadamosi?
Want to know how many people have the surname Gbadamosi? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.