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

Konteh, 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 Konteh surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Konteh in America

Konteh is the 110286th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Konteh surname appeared 160 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 Konteh.

The history of the last name Konteh

The surname "KONTEH" is of West African origin, specifically from the Mandinka people of present-day Gambia and Senegal. It is believed to have originated in the 15th or 16th century, during the height of the Mali Empire.

The name is thought to be derived from the Mandinka word "konte," which means "chief" or "leader." This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name may have held positions of authority or chieftaincy within their communities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the writings of Portuguese explorer Alvise Cadamosto, who visited the Gambia region in the 1450s. He mentions encountering a local ruler named "Conte," which is likely an early variant spelling of the name Konteh.

In the 17th century, the name appears in records of the Royal African Company, a British trading company that operated in West Africa. A man named Buntu Konteh is listed as a prominent trader and intermediary between the company and local Mandinka chiefs.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the name is documented in various colonial records and travel accounts from the region. Notable individuals bearing the name include Mussa Konteh, a Mandinka warrior who fought against French colonial forces in the 1880s, and Alieu Konteh, a respected Islamic scholar and teacher who lived in the early 19th century.

In more recent history, the name Konteh has been carried by several prominent figures, such as Alhaji Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara (1924-2017), who served as the first President of the Republic of the Gambia from 1970 to 1994, and Fatoumatta Konteh (born 1962), a Gambian writer and activist known for her work promoting women's rights and education.

Other notable individuals with the surname include Lamin Konteh (1932-2005), a Gambian politician and diplomat who served as the country's Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Alhaji Malick Konteh (1938-2016), a renowned Gambian businessman and philanthropist who played a significant role in the country's economic development.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Konteh

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

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

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

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