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

Mensah, 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 Mensah surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mensah in America

Mensah is the 7863rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mensah surname appeared 4,209 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Mensah.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mensah 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 Mensah

The surname Mensah originates from Ghana in West Africa. It is an Akan name derived from the word 'mensah' which means 'one who was born on Saturday'. The name has been in use among the Akan people for centuries.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Mensah can be found in oral traditions and historical accounts from the Akan kingdoms of modern-day Ghana, particularly the Ashanti Empire. These accounts date back to the 17th and 18th centuries when the Ashanti Empire was at its peak.

One notable historical figure with the surname Mensah was Nana Mensah Bonsu, a prominent chief and military leader from the Ashanti Empire in the late 18th century. He played a key role in the expansion of the empire and the defense against British colonial forces.

Another famous bearer of the name was Kofi Mensah Bonsu, a renowned Ghanaian historian and linguist who lived from 1892 to 1978. He made significant contributions to the study and preservation of Akan languages and culture.

In the 20th century, Kwame Mensah was a celebrated Ghanaian highlife musician and composer who helped popularize the genre both in Ghana and internationally. He was active in the 1950s and 1960s.

A more recent figure with the surname Mensah is Mensah Ayittey, a prominent Ghanaian politician and economist who served as the Minister of Finance from 1969 to 1971.

The name Mensah has also been associated with various place names in Ghana, particularly in the Ashanti Region, where it has historical roots. Some of these place names include Mensah Dawa, Mensah Krom, and Mensah Nkwanta.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mensah

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

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

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

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