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

Mama, 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 Mama surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mama in America

Mama is the 122314th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mama surname appeared 141 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 Mama.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mama 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 Mama

The surname "MAMA" is believed to have originated in West Africa, particularly in the regions of present-day Nigeria and Ghana. It first emerged during the 16th century, likely derived from the Yoruba word "màmá," meaning "mother" or "elderly woman."

In the early 17th century, the name "MAMA" appeared in Portuguese colonial records documenting the transatlantic slave trade. These records mention individuals bearing this surname being forcibly transported from the Bight of Biafra region in West Africa to the Americas, particularly Brazil and the Caribbean islands.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname "MAMA" was Kwesi Mama, a prominent trader and community leader who lived in the Ashanti Empire (present-day Ghana) in the late 18th century. He played a significant role in facilitating trade between the Ashanti and European merchants.

In the 19th century, the "MAMA" surname appeared in various historical records related to the African diaspora in the Americas. For instance, Josefa Mama, a former enslaved woman from Brazil, gained recognition for her involvement in the Quilombo dos Palmares, a renowned maroon settlement established by escaped enslaved Africans.

Another notable figure was Samuel Mama, a pioneering African-American educator born in 1832 in South Carolina. He established several schools for formerly enslaved people after the American Civil War and was a vocal advocate for equal educational opportunities.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the "MAMA" surname gained prominence in various parts of West Africa, particularly in Nigeria. One influential individual was Olaudah Mama, a renowned Nigerian writer and activist born in 1885, who campaigned against British colonial rule and advocated for African independence.

In the 20th century, the "MAMA" surname continued to be found across various African countries, as well as among the African diasporic communities in the Americas and Europe. Notably, Kwame Mama, a Ghanaian politician born in 1927, played a significant role in his country's struggle for independence from British rule.

While the surname "MAMA" has its roots in West Africa, it has since spread globally through migration and cultural exchange, becoming a part of the diverse tapestry of surnames worldwide.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mama

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

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

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

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