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

Giwa, 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 Giwa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Giwa in America

Giwa is the 63698th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Giwa surname appeared 313 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 Giwa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Giwa 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 Giwa

The surname GIWA is of Nigerian origin, specifically from the Yoruba ethnic group. It is believed to have originated in the 16th century or earlier, during the height of the Oyo Empire in present-day southwestern Nigeria.

The name GIWA is thought to be derived from the Yoruba word "giwa," which means "elephant tusk." This could suggest that the earliest bearers of this surname were involved in the ivory trade or had some connection to elephants or their tusks.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name GIWA can be found in the oral histories and traditions of the Yoruba people, which were passed down through generations of griots and storytellers. These oral traditions often mentioned individuals with the surname GIWA, indicating that the name was well-established and respected within Yoruba society.

In the 18th century, the name GIWA appeared in written records kept by European traders and explorers who had interactions with the Oyo Empire and other Yoruba kingdoms. These records sometimes included mentions of individuals or families with the surname GIWA, providing valuable historical documentation of the name's existence and use.

Some notable individuals with the surname GIWA throughout history include:

1. Oba Giwa Kokumo (c. 1700 - c. 1770), a powerful ruler of the Oyo Empire who expanded the empire's territory and influence during his reign.
2. Aderemi Giwa (1892 - 1962), a Nigerian politician and traditional ruler who served as the Oni of Ife, a prominent chieftaincy in Yorubaland.
3. Femi Giwa (1944 - 2016), a Nigerian lawyer and human rights activist who fought against military dictatorships and advocated for democracy in Nigeria.
4. Abosede Giwa (born 1976), a Nigerian entrepreneur and businesswoman who founded the successful cosmetics company Giwa Beauty.
5. Gbolahan Giwa (born 1985), a Nigerian-American actor and model, known for his roles in various television shows and films.

While the surname GIWA has its roots in the Yoruba culture of southwestern Nigeria, it has since spread to other parts of the country and even beyond, as Nigerians have migrated and settled in different parts of the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Giwa

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

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

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

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