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

Oba, 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 Oba surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oba in America

Oba is the 44872nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oba surname appeared 478 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 Oba.

We can also compare 2010 data for Oba 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 Oba

The surname "Oba" is of Nigerian origin and can be traced back to the 12th century or earlier. It is derived from the Yoruba word "Oba," which means "king" or "ruler." The name is particularly prevalent in the southwestern region of Nigeria, where the Yoruba people are predominantly found.

In the ancient kingdom of Oyo, which flourished between the 14th and 19th centuries, the title "Oba" was held by the supreme ruler, and it was a position of great importance and respect. The Oba of Oyo was not only the political leader but also the spiritual leader of the Yoruba people.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "Oba" can be found in the "Ife Chronicle," a historical account of the Yoruba people's origins and migration patterns. This chronicle mentions the name "Oba" in reference to the rulers of the ancient city-state of Ife, which was regarded as the spiritual homeland of the Yoruba people.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname "Oba." One of the most famous was Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi (1857-1914), who was the last independent ruler of the Benin Empire before it was annexed by the British in 1897. Another notable figure was Oba Adeniran Adeyemi II (1768-1837), who was the Oba of Oyo and played a significant role in the expansion and consolidation of the Oyo Empire.

In the 19th century, Oba Lipede (1800-1878) was a prominent ruler of the Egba people, a sub-group of the Yoruba. He was known for his diplomatic skills and played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Egba United Government, which united various Egba towns and villages under a single administration.

Oba Akenzua II (1935-1978) was the Oba of Benin City in the latter half of the 20th century. He was known for his efforts to preserve and promote the rich cultural heritage of the Benin Kingdom, including the famous Benin Bronzes.

Another notable figure with the surname "Oba" was Oba Sijuwade Olubuse II (1930-2015), who was the Ooni of Ife, a revered traditional ruler of the Yoruba people. He was widely respected for his wisdom, leadership, and commitment to the preservation of Yoruba culture and traditions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oba

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

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

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

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