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

Guobadia, 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 Guobadia surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Guobadia in America

Guobadia is the 146201st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Guobadia surname appeared 113 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 Guobadia.

The history of the last name Guobadia

The surname Guobadia is believed to have originated from the Benin region of West Africa, specifically among the Edo people of what is now southern Nigeria. This name likely emerged during the 15th or 16th century when the Edo people were part of the powerful Benin Empire.

One theory suggests that Guobadia is derived from the Edo words "ogua" meaning "metal" and "obadia" meaning "creator" or "maker." This could imply that the name originally referred to a metalworker or someone skilled in forging metal objects. However, the exact etymology remains uncertain due to limited historical records from that era.

The earliest known written reference to the Guobadia name dates back to the late 17th century, when it appeared in Portuguese documents detailing trade and diplomatic interactions between the Benin Empire and European merchants. These records often mentioned local rulers, chiefs, and prominent individuals involved in the transactions.

In the 19th century, British colonial records from the region also included references to individuals with the surname Guobadia. One notable example is Chief Guobadia, a powerful local ruler in the Edo Kingdom during the 1860s, who played a significant role in negotiations with British colonial authorities.

Another historical figure bearing this name was Okunwon Guobadia, a renowned artist and sculptor who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. His intricate wood and ivory carvings were highly prized and can be found in museums and private collections around the world.

During the 20th century, several individuals with the Guobadia surname gained prominence in various fields. These include:

1. Chief Obameri Guobadia (1920-1998), a prominent Nigerian politician and member of the Edo State House of Assembly.
2. Osa Guobadia (1934-2011), a Nigerian playwright and author known for his works exploring Edo culture and folklore.
3. Jayne Guobadia (born 1960), a British actress and television presenter of Nigerian descent.
4. Stella Guobadia (born 1975), a Nigerian fashion designer and entrepreneur based in Lagos.
5. Toyin Guobadia (born 1982), a Nigerian-American attorney and legal scholar, currently serving as a professor at the University of California, Berkeley.

It is important to note that historical records from West Africa, particularly from pre-colonial times, can be limited or incomplete. As such, some details about the early origins and evolution of the Guobadia surname may have been lost or altered over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Guobadia

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

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 Guobadia 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.

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

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

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