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

Nuru, 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 Nuru surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nuru in America

Nuru is the 107134th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nuru surname appeared 166 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 Nuru.

The history of the last name Nuru

The surname NURU is believed to have its origins in East Africa, specifically in Kenya and Tanzania, where it emerged sometime in the 18th or 19th century. It is derived from the Swahili word "nuru," which means "light" or "illumination," suggesting that the name may have been given to individuals who were seen as enlightened or wise.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name NURU can be found in the writings of Johann Ludwig Krapf, a German missionary who lived in East Africa in the 19th century. In his journals, Krapf mentions encountering individuals with the surname NURU during his travels in the region.

In the late 19th century, a man named Musa Nuru was a prominent figure in the Swahili coastal city of Mombasa. He was a merchant and influential member of the local community, and his name appears in several historical records from that period.

Another notable individual with the surname NURU was Rashid Nuru, a Tanzanian politician and diplomat who served as the country's ambassador to the United Nations in the 1970s. He was born in 1928 and played a significant role in shaping Tanzania's foreign policy during the early years of its independence.

In the world of literature, the Kenyan writer and poet Marjorie Oludhe Macgoye, who was born in 1928 and passed away in 2015, had the surname NURU. Her works often explored themes of identity and cultural heritage in East Africa.

A more contemporary figure with the surname NURU is Fadumo Dayib Nuru, a Somali-Finnish politician and activist. Born in 1965, she has been a member of the Finnish Parliament since 2015 and is known for her advocacy on issues related to immigration and gender equality.

It is worth noting that while the surname NURU is most commonly associated with East Africa, it has also been found in other parts of the world, possibly due to migration or cultural exchange. However, its roots can be traced back to the Swahili-speaking regions of Kenya and Tanzania, where it has a rich cultural and historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nuru

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

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

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

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