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

Kaba, 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 Kaba surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kaba in America

Kaba is the 14870th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kaba surname appeared 1,991 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Kaba.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kaba 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 Kaba

The surname KABA is believed to have its origins in West Africa, specifically in the region that is now modern-day Ghana. It is thought to have emerged in the late 15th or early 16th century, during the period when the powerful Akan Empire was at its peak. The name is derived from the Akan word "kaba," which means "wanderer" or "stranger," suggesting that the original bearers of this name may have been travelers or immigrants to the region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the KABA surname can be found in a collection of oral histories and genealogies compiled by Akan elders in the 17th century. These records mention a prominent family in the Ashanti Kingdom whose members bore the name KABA. It is believed that this family played a significant role in the region's cultural and political affairs during that time.

As the Akan Empire expanded its influence across West Africa, the KABA name likely spread to other territories and regions. In the 18th century, there are records of individuals with the KABA surname living in the coastal regions of modern-day Ivory Coast and Liberia, which were then under the control of various Akan kingdoms.

One notable figure in the history of the KABA name was Kwame KABA, a respected Akan chief who lived in the late 18th century. He was renowned for his wisdom and leadership skills, and his name is still invoked in traditional Akan proverbs and folklore. Another prominent individual was Akua KABA, a skilled weaver and trader who lived in the 19th century and was known for her entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen.

As European colonization and the transatlantic slave trade reshaped the demographics of West Africa, the KABA surname also found its way to the Americas and the Caribbean. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, there are records of individuals with the KABA surname living in the French Caribbean colonies, as well as in the United States and Brazil.

One notable figure from this period was Kwesi KABA, a former slave who became a successful merchant and landowner in Jamaica in the early 19th century. His life story and achievements were documented in a memoir published in 1832. Another individual of note was Ama KABA, a renowned storyteller and oral historian who lived in the late 19th century and was instrumental in preserving the cultural traditions and histories of the Akan people in the face of colonialism.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kaba

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

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

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

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