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

Ndiaye, 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 Ndiaye surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ndiaye in America

Ndiaye is the 12460th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ndiaye surname appeared 2,491 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 Ndiaye.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ndiaye 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 Ndiaye

The surname Ndiaye originates from Senegal in West Africa. It is one of the most common surnames among the Wolof people, an ethnic group native to Senegal and parts of neighboring countries. The name is believed to have derived from the Wolof word "ndiay," which means "to gather" or "to bring together."

Historically, the Ndiaye surname can be traced back to the 13th century, when the Wolof kingdom of Jolof (also spelled Djolof or Jollof) was a prominent regional power in Senegal. Some records suggest that the name may have initially referred to a specific lineage or clan within the Wolof nobility or ruling class.

One of the earliest documented references to the Ndiaye name can be found in the writings of medieval Arab scholars and travelers, who visited the region and documented the Wolof people and their customs. For instance, the 14th-century Moroccan scholar Ibn Battuta mentioned encountering a Wolof leader named Ndiaye during his travels through West Africa.

Throughout the centuries, the Ndiaye surname has been associated with several notable figures in Senegalese and West African history. One such figure was Ndiaye Mbar, a prominent Wolof leader and military commander in the late 16th century, who played a significant role in defending the Jolof kingdom against Portuguese invaders.

Another notable Ndiaye was El Hadj Oumar Tall (1797-1864), a Toucouleur (Fulani) religious and military leader who established the Toucouleur Empire in present-day Mali and Senegal. His mother, Penda Ndiaye, was from a prominent Wolof family, which likely influenced his name.

In more recent history, Lamine Ndiaye (1958-2007) was a renowned Senegalese writer, playwright, and actor, known for his contributions to the promotion of Wolof culture and literature. He was a recipient of the Grand Prix des Muses, one of the highest literary honors in Francophone Africa.

Abdoulaye Ndiaye (1931-2018) was a Senegalese politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and later as the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity (now the African Union) from 1985 to 1989.

Marie Ndiaye (born 1967) is a French novelist and playwright of Senegalese descent, who won the prestigious Prix Goncourt in 2009 for her novel "Trois femmes puissantes" (Three Powerful Women).

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ndiaye

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

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

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

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