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

Lwanga, 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 Lwanga surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lwanga in America

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

The Lwanga 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 Lwanga.

The history of the last name Lwanga

The surname Lwanga originated from Uganda, East Africa. It is believed to have emerged during the late 19th century. The name is derived from the Luganda language, spoken by the Baganda people of the Buganda Kingdom, which was located in present-day central Uganda.

Lwanga is a Luganda word that means "born on Monday." In traditional Baganda culture, children were often named after the day of the week on which they were born. This practice was deeply rooted in their beliefs and traditions.

The earliest recorded reference to the Lwanga surname can be found in the writings of British explorers and missionaries who visited the Buganda Kingdom in the late 19th century. One notable example is the account of John Hanning Speke, who documented his encounters with the Baganda people during his journey to discover the source of the Nile River in 1862.

One of the most famous individuals to bear the Lwanga surname was Saint Charles Lwanga. He was a Ugandan Catholic martyr who was killed for his faith in 1886 under the orders of the Buganda King Mwanga II. Charles Lwanga and his companions, known as the Uganda Martyrs, were canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1964.

Another notable figure with the Lwanga surname was Joseph Lwanga, a Ugandan politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Uganda from 1986 to 1988. He played a crucial role in rebuilding Uganda's diplomatic relations after years of political turmoil.

In the field of sports, Emmanuel Lwanga was a Ugandan boxer who competed in the lightweight division during the 1970s and 1980s. He won several national and regional championships and represented Uganda in international competitions.

The Lwanga surname has also been associated with prominent figures in the fields of education and literature. One such individual was Mary Lwanga, a Ugandan educator and author who wrote extensively on topics related to children's literature and cultural preservation.

While the Lwanga surname originated in Uganda, it has since spread to other parts of East Africa and beyond due to migration and diaspora communities. However, its roots can be traced back to the Baganda people and their traditional naming practices, reflecting a rich cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lwanga

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

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

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

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