2010
#142,108
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Molokwu
The surname "MOLOKWU" is of Nigerian origin meaning "rich person" or "powerful person".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Molokwu. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Molokwu surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Molokwu in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Molokwu, the largest self-reported group is Black at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.2%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Molokwu
The surname Molokwu originates from Nigeria, specifically the Igbo ethnic group. It is believed to have emerged during the 16th or 17th century in the region known as Igboland, which encompasses parts of present-day southeastern Nigeria.
The name Molokwu is derived from the Igbo language and is thought to have its roots in the words "molu" and "okwu," which together can be interpreted as "one who speaks truth" or "one who speaks wisdom." This suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon individuals who were renowned for their honesty, eloquence, or wisdom within their communities.
While there are no known historical references to the name Molokwu in ancient manuscripts or records, it is likely that the name existed orally within Igbo communities for generations before being documented in written form.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Molokwu was Nnamdi Molokwu, born in the late 18th century in the Anambra region of Nigeria. He was a respected elder and village leader known for his fairness and ability to resolve disputes peacefully.
Another notable individual with the Molokwu surname was Chidi Molokwu, a skilled trader and entrepreneur who lived in the mid-19th century. He was instrumental in establishing trade routes between Igboland and other regions of West Africa, facilitating the exchange of goods and cultural influences.
In the early 20th century, Onyekachi Molokwu (1901-1983) gained recognition as a prominent educator and advocate for women's education in Nigeria. She established several schools in her local community and worked tirelessly to create educational opportunities for girls and young women.
Emeka Molokwu (1924-1998) was a respected writer and poet who played a significant role in preserving and celebrating Igbo culture through his literary works. His poetry and short stories explored themes of identity, tradition, and the struggles faced by the Igbo people during and after the Nigerian Civil War.
Another noteworthy individual was Adaugo Molokwu (1932-2017), a pioneering Nigerian lawyer and human rights activist. She was one of the first women to be called to the Nigerian Bar and dedicated her career to advocating for civil liberties and gender equality.
While the surname Molokwu has its roots in Nigeria's Igbo culture, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, its origins can be traced back to the rich cultural heritage and linguistic traditions of the Igbo people in southeastern Nigeria.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Molokwu
Among Census respondents with the surname Molokwu, the largest self-reported group is Black at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.2%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Molokwu bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Molokwu surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American88.2% · 97
- Two or more races8.2% · 9
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 3
- White0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Molokwu
Molokwu appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
-7 bearers (-6.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,338 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #142,108 | 117 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-6.0%) | Down 7,338 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Molokwu surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #142,108 | #149,446 | -5.2% |
| Count | 117 | 110 | -6.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Molokwu bearers went from 117 to 110 (-6.0% change). The surname moved down 7,338 positions in the national ranking, going from #142,108 to #149,446.
FAQ
Molokwu surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Molokwu?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Molokwu. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Molokwu?
Molokwu ranks #149,446 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 110 people with the surname Molokwu. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Molokwu.
Has Molokwu become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Molokwu went from 117 recorded bearers to 110. That is a decrease of 7 (-6.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #142,108 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Molokwu?
Among Census respondents with the surname Molokwu, the largest self-reported group is Black at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.2%) and Hispanic (2.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Molokwu in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.2% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Molokwu appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (88.2%), Two or More Races (8.2%), Hispanic (2.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Molokwu (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Molokwu mean?
The surname "MOLOKWU" is of Nigerian origin meaning "rich person" or "powerful person". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Molokwu (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Molokwu?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.