2010
#111,426
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 158
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Gbadebo
A Yoruba surname meaning "the bush protected by the deity".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 290 Americans carry the last name Gbadebo. That puts it at #80,815 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,181,912 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gbadebo 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 Gbadebo with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
290
1 in 1,181,912
Census rank
#80,815
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
253
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 253 bearers of the surname Gbadebo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 80815th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gbadebo, the largest self-reported group is Black at 90.9%. The next largest groups are White (2.8%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gbadebo
The surname GBADEBO has its origins in the Yoruba language spoken in southwestern Nigeria. It dates back to the pre-colonial era, likely from the 15th to 19th centuries. The name is derived from the Yoruba words "Gba" meaning "to receive" and "debo" meaning "crown" or "royalty." Combined, the name GBADEBO signifies "one who receives the crown" or "heir to the throne."
GBADEBO was a name primarily used by the Yoruba nobility and ruling families. It was often bestowed upon princes or those in the line of succession to the throne. The earliest known reference to the name GBADEBO can be traced back to the ancient Kingdom of Oyo, one of the most prominent Yoruba empires in what is now modern-day Nigeria.
Historical records indicate that a prominent figure named GBADEBO Abiodun ruled as the Alafin (king) of Oyo in the late 17th century. He is credited with expanding the kingdom's territories and strengthening its military might during his reign from 1670 to 1696.
Another notable bearer of the name was GBADEBO Adetunji, a 19th-century Yoruba chief and military leader. He played a pivotal role in the wars against the expansionist Fulani Empire, leading the Yoruba forces to several victories in the 1830s.
In the realm of literature, GBADEBO Abiola was a renowned Yoruba playwright and novelist in the early 20th century. Born in 1876, he is celebrated for his works that explored Yoruba culture and traditions.
During the colonial era, GBADEBO Akintola, born in 1910, was a prominent Nigerian politician and Premier of the Western Region from 1960 to 1962. He played a significant role in the negotiations leading to Nigeria's independence from British rule.
Another notable figure was GBADEBO Olugbile, a highly respected Yoruba traditional ruler who served as the Ooni of Ife, one of the most important monarchs in Yorubaland, from 1930 to 1949.
While the surname GBADEBO has its roots in the Yoruba nobility, over time, it has become more widely adopted by different families and communities within the Yoruba ethnic group. However, its historical significance and connection to royalty and leadership remain deeply embedded in its meaning and origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gbadebo
Among Census respondents with the surname Gbadebo, the largest self-reported group is Black at 90.9%. The next largest groups are White (2.8%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Gbadebo 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 Gbadebo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American90.9% · 230
- White2.8% · 7
- Two or more races2.8% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino2.4% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.2% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gbadebo
Gbadebo appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#80,815
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 253
+95 bearers (+60.1%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Up 30,611 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #111,426 | 158 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #80,815 | 253 | 0.08 | +95 bearers (+60.1%) | Up 30,611 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 Gbadebo 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 | #111,426 | #80,815 | 27.5% |
| Count | 158 | 253 | 60.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.08 | 69.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gbadebo bearers went from 158 to 253 (+60.1% change). The surname moved up 30,611 positions in the national ranking, going from #111,426 to #80,815.
FAQ
Gbadebo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gbadebo?
Name Census estimates that about 290 living Americans carry the surname Gbadebo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,181,912 residents.
How common is Gbadebo?
Gbadebo ranks #80,815 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.08 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 253 people with the surname Gbadebo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (290), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.08 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.08 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 Gbadebo.
Has Gbadebo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gbadebo went from 158 recorded bearers to 253. That is an increase of 95 (+60.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #111,426 to #80,815.
What does the Census say about the background of Gbadebo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gbadebo, the largest self-reported group is Black at 90.9%. The next largest groups are White (2.8%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Gbadebo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.9% (230 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gbadebo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (90.9%), White (2.8%), Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Gbadebo (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 Gbadebo mean?
A Yoruba surname meaning "the bush protected by the deity". 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 Gbadebo (0.08 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 Americans have the surname Gbadebo?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.