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

Kamau, 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 Kamau surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kamau in America

Kamau is the 17992nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kamau surname appeared 1,552 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 Kamau.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kamau 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 Kamau

The surname Kamau originates from the Kikuyu people of Kenya. It is a name that dates back several centuries, with its roots in the Kikuyu language. The name Kamau is believed to be derived from the Kikuyu word 'kamaa', which means 'to be quiet' or 'to be silent'.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kamau can be found in the writings of Johann Ludwig Krapf, a German missionary who lived in East Africa in the 19th century. In his book 'Travels, Researches, and Missionary Labours During an Eighteen Years' Residence in Eastern Africa', published in 1860, Krapf mentions the name Kamau as being a common name among the Kikuyu people.

The name Kamau has been associated with various historical figures throughout the years. One notable bearer of the name was Kamau Muriithi, a Kenyan freedom fighter who played a significant role in the Mau Mau uprising against British colonial rule in the 1950s. Another prominent figure with the surname Kamau was Ngugi wa Thiong'o (born James Ngugi in 1938), a Kenyan writer and academic who is considered one of the most influential African writers of the 20th century.

Other notable individuals with the surname Kamau include Kamau Brathwaite (1930-2020), a Barbadian poet and historian who was a key figure in the Caribbean literary renaissance; Kamau Muturire (born 1938), a Kenyan artist and sculptor known for his pioneering work in contemporary African art; and Kamau Bell (born 1973), an American comedian and socio-political commentator who has hosted several television shows.

The name Kamau has also been associated with various place names in Kenya. For example, Kamau Hill is a prominent geographical feature located in the Rift Valley region of the country. Additionally, there is a town called Kamau in the Central Province of Kenya, which is believed to have been named after an individual with the surname Kamau.

Overall, the surname Kamau has a rich history and cultural significance among the Kikuyu people of Kenya. It has been borne by numerous influential individuals throughout the years, and its origins can be traced back to the Kikuyu language and the concept of being quiet or silent.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kamau

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

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

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

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