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

Neequaye, 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 Neequaye surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Neequaye in America

Neequaye is the 156044th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Neequaye surname appeared 104 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 Neequaye.

The history of the last name Neequaye

The surname Neequaye is of Ghanaian origin, originating from the Ga ethnic group of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. The name dates back to the late 17th century and is believed to be derived from the Ga language word "nee," meaning "mother," and "quaye," meaning "market." Thus, the name Neequaye is thought to have initially referred to a woman who worked or traded in the market.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Neequaye can be found in historical records and documents from the coastal regions of present-day Ghana, particularly in the areas around Accra and its environs, where the Ga people have traditionally resided.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Neequaye was Nii Neequaye, a prominent Ga chief who lived in the late 18th century and played a significant role in the local affairs of his community.

In the 19th century, the name appears in various records, including church registers and colonial documents from the British administration in the Gold Coast (present-day Ghana). One notable figure from this period was Kwaku Neequaye, a trader and businessman who lived in the early 1800s and was involved in the thriving coastal trade between Ghana and other West African nations.

The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the emergence of several influential Neequaye individuals, such as Nii Neequaye Okaidja, a respected traditional leader and custodian of Ga culture, and Nii Neequaye Kojo, a prominent politician and advocate for Ga rights during the colonial era.

In more recent history, the Neequaye surname has been associated with several notable figures, including Dr. Kwaku Neequaye, a renowned Ghanaian academic and historian who pioneered the study of Ga culture and language (1924-2009), and Nii Neequaye Tettey, a respected Ga chief and community leader (1936-2018).

Throughout its history, the surname Neequaye has maintained a strong connection to the Ga people and their cultural traditions, reflecting the significance of markets and trade in the community's historical narrative.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Neequaye

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

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

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

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