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

Kumah, 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 Kumah surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kumah in America

Kumah is the 100791st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kumah surname appeared 179 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 Kumah.

The history of the last name Kumah

The surname Kumah is believed to have originated in Ghana, a West African country on the Gulf of Guinea. It is thought to have roots in the Akan language spoken by several ethnic groups in Ghana and parts of Ivory Coast. The name may derive from the Akan words "kum" meaning "kill" and "ha" meaning "here," possibly referring to a historical site or event.

While the exact etymology is uncertain, records suggest the name Kumah has been present in Ghana for centuries. Some of the earliest known references date back to the 16th century during the rise of the Ashanti Empire, a powerful kingdom in what is now southern Ghana. The name appears in Akan oral traditions and folklore from this era.

Among the earliest recorded individuals bearing the surname Kumah was Nana Kumah, a revered chief and advisor to the Ashanti king Osei Tutu in the late 17th century. Nana Kumah is said to have played a pivotal role in unifying various Akan states under Ashanti rule.

Another notable figure was Kwasi Kumah, a wealthy trader and landowner who lived in the early 19th century in the Akwamu region of present-day eastern Ghana. Historical accounts describe Kwasi Kumah as a influential member of the Akwamu community.

In the late 19th century, the name Kumah surfaced in British colonial records from the Gold Coast, as Ghana was then known. One example is Kwaku Kumah, born around 1860, who served as a local chief and intermediary between colonial authorities and indigenous communities.

Moving into the 20th century, Yaw Kumah (1905-1988) was a Ghanaian educator and politician who helped establish several schools and advocated for educational reforms. He held cabinet positions in Kwame Nkrumah's government after Ghana gained independence in 1957.

Another prominent individual was Efua Kumah (1913-1995), a Ghanaian writer, playwright and cultural activist. She co-founded the Ghana Society of Writers and played a key role in preserving and promoting Ghanaian arts and literature on a global stage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kumah

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

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

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

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