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

Lamptey, 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 Lamptey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lamptey in America

Lamptey is the 49723rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lamptey surname appeared 422 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 Lamptey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lamptey 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 Lamptey

The surname Lamptey originates from the West African country of Ghana. It is believed to have its roots in the Akan language spoken by various ethnic groups in the region. The name likely dates back to the 16th or 17th century when the trans-Atlantic slave trade was at its peak.

The name Lamptey is thought to be derived from the Akan word "lam," which means "to weave" or "to intertwine." It is possible that the name was initially given to individuals who worked as weavers or were involved in the weaving trade, which was a significant economic activity in parts of West Africa.

While there are no definitive historical records documenting the earliest use of the surname Lamptey, it is believed to have been widely used among the Akan people of Ghana, particularly in the coastal regions and the Ashanti Kingdom.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lamptey can be found in the writings of British explorer and author Joseph Dupuis, who traveled extensively in West Africa in the late 18th century. In his journal, Dupuis mentions encountering individuals with the surname Lamptey during his visits to Ghanaian coastal towns.

Among the notable individuals who bore the surname Lamptey throughout history is Nii Lamptey (1904-1975), a prominent Ghanaian politician and lawyer who served as the Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana from 1969 to 1972. Another prominent figure was Kwame Lamptey (1922-2005), a Ghanaian diplomat and politician who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1965 to 1966.

In the world of sports, Nii Lamptey (born 1977) is a former professional footballer who represented Ghana at the international level and played for several clubs in Europe, including Aston Villa and PSV Eindhoven. Eric Lamptey (born 1962) is another notable Ghanaian football player who played for clubs like AS Monaco and Auxerre in France.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Lamptey was Kweku Lamptey (c. 1740-1805), a prominent Akan chief and trader who played a significant role in the expansion of the Ashanti Empire in the late 18th century.

The surname Lamptey has been carried by many individuals throughout history, reflecting its deep roots in the cultural and linguistic traditions of Ghana. While the exact origins and earliest usage of the name remain uncertain, it continues to be a prominent surname in Ghana and among Ghanaian communities around the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lamptey

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

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

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

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