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

Nyarko, 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 Nyarko surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nyarko in America

Nyarko is the 36048th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nyarko surname appeared 622 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 Nyarko.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nyarko 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 Nyarko

The surname NYARKO originates from the Akan people of Ghana in West Africa. It is believed to have derived from the Akan words "Nya" meaning "to get or acquire" and "ko" meaning "war" or "battle." The name was likely given to someone who had distinguished themselves in battle or warfare.

NYARKO is an ancient Akan name that can be traced back to the medieval period of the Akan kingdoms in present-day Ghana. Some historians suggest that the name may have been recorded in oral histories and traditions passed down from generation to generation among the Akan people.

The earliest written record of the surname NYARKO is found in the 18th century during the time of the Ashanti Empire. Nana Nyarko Ababio, a renowned Ashanti warrior and chief, is mentioned in historical accounts from the late 1700s for his bravery and leadership in battles against the British.

In the 19th century, NYARKO was a prominent name among the Fante people, an Akan subgroup located along the coastal regions of Ghana. Notable individuals from this period include Kwasi Nyarko, a successful merchant and trader in Cape Coast, and Ama Nyarko, a respected queen mother of the Fante state of Anomabu.

As the Akan people migrated and settled in other parts of West Africa, the name NYARKO spread to neighboring countries like Ivory Coast and Togo. In the early 20th century, Kofi Nyarko, a Chief Linguist from Ghana, played a pivotal role in preserving and promoting the Akan language and culture.

Other notable individuals with the surname NYARKO include:

1. Nana Nyarko Ampem II, a renowned chief of the Akwamu state in Ghana (1910-1992).
2. Kwame Nyarko, a Ghanaian politician and member of parliament (1932-2008).
3. Michael Nyarko, a Ghanaian football player who played for clubs in Europe (born 1985).
4. Kafui Nyarko, a Ghanaian musician and songwriter known for her contributions to the Highlife genre (born 1960).
5. Kwadwo Nyarko, a Ghanaian academic and professor of physics at the University of Ghana (born 1945).

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nyarko

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

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

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

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