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

Obana, 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 Obana surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Obana in America

Obana is the 91221st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Obana surname appeared 202 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 Obana.

We can also compare 2010 data for Obana 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 Obana

The surname OBANA has its origins in the West African region, specifically in what is now known as the country of Ghana. It is believed to have emerged sometime during the 16th or 17th century, when the region was a hub of trade and cultural exchange between various ethnic groups.

One theory suggests that OBANA is derived from the Akan word "obane," which means "born on a certain day" or "born under a particular circumstance." This could indicate that the surname was initially given to individuals born on a significant day or during a notable event in the community.

Another possibility is that OBANA is a variation of the Ghanaian place name "Obuasi," a town located in the Ashanti Region. It's plausible that the surname originated from individuals hailing from or associated with this particular location.

Historical records from the region are scarce, but there are mentions of individuals bearing the surname OBANA in various documents from the 18th and 19th centuries. One notable example is Kwame OBANA, a prominent trader and community leader who lived in the late 1700s and was known for his involvement in the trans-Atlantic trade.

In the 19th century, the name OBANA appeared in records related to the British colonial administration in Ghana, then known as the Gold Coast. One such individual was Akua OBANA, a respected herbalist and healer who was born in 1832 and was renowned for her knowledge of traditional medicine.

As the centuries progressed, the OBANA surname spread beyond Ghana's borders, with individuals bearing the name found in neighboring countries like Togo, Ivory Coast, and Burkina Faso. One notable figure was Kwasi OBANA, a skilled blacksmith born in 1879 in Togo, whose intricate metalwork was highly sought after throughout the region.

In the early 20th century, Kofi OBANA, a Ghanaian educator and activist born in 1905, made significant contributions to the country's educational system and played a role in the independence movement against British colonial rule.

Throughout its history, the OBANA surname has maintained a strong connection to its West African roots, serving as a testament to the rich cultural heritage and diverse traditions of the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Obana

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

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

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

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