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

Ilori, 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 Ilori surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ilori in America

Ilori is the 106570th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ilori surname appeared 167 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 Ilori.

The history of the last name Ilori

The surname Ilori is of Yoruba origin from Nigeria. It is believed to have derived from the Yoruba word "Ilo-ri" which means "owner of the house" or "head of the household". This surname is primarily found among the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria.

The earliest recorded instances of the Ilori surname date back to the 17th century in various historical records and documents from the Yoruba kingdoms of Oyo and Ilorin. It is possible that the name was initially used as a descriptive term or title before becoming an inherited surname.

In the 19th century, the Ilori name appears in several accounts and chronicles of the Yoruba Wars, particularly the Kiriji War of 1878-1893. Notable figures with this surname during that period include Chief Ilori Ogunmola, a renowned military leader and warrior from Ilorin, who played a significant role in the conflicts.

Another prominent individual with the Ilori surname was Reverend Samuel Adjai Crowther, a pioneering linguist and the first Anglican bishop of West Africa, born in 1809 in Osogun, Oyo Empire (now in Oyo State, Nigeria). He made substantial contributions to the translation of the Bible and other texts into the Yoruba language.

In the 20th century, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, a political leader and statesman, was born in 1909 with the surname Ilori before changing it to Awolowo later in life. He played a pivotal role in Nigerian politics and was a strong advocate for federalism and self-governance.

More recently, Chief Festus Adeyeye Ilori, born in 1940, served as a prominent traditional ruler and the Olubadan of Ibadan, one of the highest-ranking chieftaincy titles in Yorubaland, from 2021 until his passing in 2022.

While the Ilori surname is primarily concentrated in Nigeria, it has also been carried by individuals of Yoruba descent in other parts of West Africa and the diaspora communities around the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ilori

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

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

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

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