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

Njogu, 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 Njogu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Njogu in America

Njogu is the 121590th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Njogu surname appeared 142 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 Njogu.

The history of the last name Njogu

The surname Njogu originates from Kenya, with its earliest known references dating back to the 17th century. It is believed to be derived from the Kikuyu language, where the word "njogu" means "peanut" or "groundnut." The Kikuyu people, an ethnic group predominantly found in central Kenya, are considered the primary bearers of this surname.

During the pre-colonial era, the Njogu name was primarily concentrated in the fertile highlands of central Kenya, where the Kikuyu people traditionally resided and practiced agriculture, including the cultivation of groundnuts. It is possible that the name initially referred to individuals or families involved in the cultivation or trade of groundnuts, which were a significant crop in the region.

Historical records from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, during the British colonial period in Kenya, mention individuals with the Njogu surname. One notable example is Kihika Njogu, a prominent Kikuyu elder and leader who played a significant role in the resistance against colonial rule in the early 20th century.

In the mid-20th century, Jomo Kenyatta, the first Prime Minister and President of independent Kenya, had a close associate named Bildad Kaggia Njogu, who was a prominent figure in the Kenyan independence movement and a member of the Kenyan African Union (KAU).

Another notable figure with the Njogu surname was Wanguhu Njogu, a Kenyan writer and academic who authored several books and articles on Kenyan history and culture in the latter half of the 20th century.

More recently, in the field of literature, Ngugi wa Thiong'o, a renowned Kenyan writer and scholar, has mentioned the Njogu surname in his works, reflecting its significance within the Kikuyu community.

It is worth noting that variations in spelling, such as "Njogoo" or "Njugu," may have existed historically due to linguistic differences or transliterations from the Kikuyu language to English or other languages.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Njogu

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

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

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

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