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

Kapenga, 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 Kapenga surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kapenga in America

Kapenga is the 160975th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kapenga surname appeared 100 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 Kapenga.

The history of the last name Kapenga

The surname KAPENGA is believed to have originated in the central African country of Gabon during the 18th century. It is derived from the Myene language spoken in parts of Gabon and the Republic of Congo. The word "kapenga" translates to "palm tree" or "palm leaf" in this language.

The earliest recorded instances of the KAPENGA surname can be traced back to the village of Mbigou in the Ngounié Province of Gabon. This region was home to the Myene people, and the name likely originated as a descriptive term for someone who lived near or worked with palm trees.

In the late 19th century, French colonial records from Gabon mention several individuals with the surname KAPENGA. One notable example is Nzambi KAPENGA, a village chief who was born around 1850 and played a role in negotiating treaties with French authorities in the region.

As the KAPENGA family spread across Gabon and into neighboring countries, the name underwent slight variations in spelling, such as KAPINGA or KAPINGAT. In the early 20th century, a man named Mwiri KAPENGA (1882-1962) gained recognition as a skilled woodcarver and artisan in the town of Lambaréné.

Another prominent figure was Mbamba KAPENGA (1924-1998), a Gabonese politician and diplomat who served as the country's ambassador to several nations, including France and the United States.

Beyond Gabon, the KAPENGA surname can also be found in other parts of Central Africa. For instance, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, there was a renowned musician and bandleader named Vicky KAPENGA (1936-2008) who helped popularize Congolese rumba music in the 1960s and 1970s.

While the KAPENGA name has its roots in the Myene language and culture of Gabon, it has since spread across the African continent and beyond, carried by individuals and families who have made their mark in various fields over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kapenga

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

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

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

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