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

Kimani, 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 Kimani surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kimani in America

Kimani is the 27144th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kimani surname appeared 892 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 Kimani.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kimani 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 Kimani

The surname KIMANI is of Kenyan origin, specifically from the Kikuyu ethnic group. It is derived from the Kikuyu word "kimani," which means "wealth" or "riches." The name can be traced back to the late 18th century and is believed to have originated in the central highlands of Kenya, where the Kikuyu people have traditionally lived.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the KIMANI surname can be found in the writings of Johann Ludwig Krapf, a German missionary who traveled to East Africa in the 1840s. In his accounts, he mentioned several individuals with the surname KIMANI, indicating that the name was already well-established among the Kikuyu people at that time.

The KIMANI surname has been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One of the most prominent individuals with this surname is Jomo Kenyatta (1891-1978), the first Prime Minister and President of independent Kenya. Kenyatta, whose birth name was Kamau wa Ngengi, played a pivotal role in Kenya's struggle for independence from British colonial rule.

Another famous bearer of the KIMANI surname was Paul Ngei (1923-2004), a Kenyan politician and freedom fighter who served as the first African mayor of Nairobi. He was a close ally of Jomo Kenyatta and played a significant role in the Kenyan independence movement.

In the literary world, Ngugi wa Thiong'o (born 1938), a renowned Kenyan writer and academic, has also carried the KIMANI surname. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential writers in African literature and has received numerous accolades, including the Nonino International Prize for Literature in 2001.

Additionally, the KIMANI surname has been associated with several notable athletes, such as Wilson Kipketer (born 1973), a former Kenyan middle-distance runner who held the world record in the 800 meters and won multiple Olympic and World Championship medals.

The KIMANI surname has also been linked to various place names in Kenya, particularly in the central region. For instance, the town of Kimani in Nyandarua County is believed to have derived its name from the surname, reflecting the historical presence of the KIMANI family in that area.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kimani

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

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

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

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