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

Obas, 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 Obas surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Obas in America

Obas is the 46314th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Obas surname appeared 460 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 Obas.

We can also compare 2010 data for Obas 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 Obas

The surname OBAS is believed to have originated in West Africa, specifically in present-day Nigeria. It is a name derived from the Yoruba language, where "Oba" means "king" or "ruler." The earliest records of this surname date back to the 16th century during the height of the Oyo Empire, which was ruled by a powerful dynasty of Obas or kings.

In the Yoruba culture, the title "Oba" carried significant importance as it represented the highest authority and was often bestowed upon individuals of noble birth or those who exhibited exceptional leadership qualities. The surname OBAS likely emerged as a way to identify individuals or families closely associated with the royal lineage or those who served in high-ranking positions within the Oyo Empire.

One of the earliest known mentions of the name OBAS can be found in the oral traditions and historical accounts of the Yoruba people. These narratives recount the exploits of several prominent Obas, such as Oba Oranyan, who is credited with expanding the Oyo Empire's influence in the late 15th century, and Oba Atiba, who ruled during the early 17th century and oversaw a period of economic prosperity.

As the Yoruba people migrated and dispersed across various regions of West Africa, the surname OBAS traveled with them. Notable individuals bearing this surname include Olabisi Oba, a Nigerian politician and activist who played a crucial role in the country's independence movement in the mid-20th century (1916-1985), and Oladipo Oba, a renowned Nigerian artist known for his vibrant paintings depicting Yoruba culture and traditions (1917-2001).

Another noteworthy figure is Oba Adetoyese Laoye, who served as the traditional ruler of the town of Ogbomosho in southwestern Nigeria during the late 19th century (1837-1905). His reign was marked by significant advancements in agriculture and trade within the region. Additionally, Oba Akinola Obas, a prominent Yoruba chief in the early 20th century (1886-1962), played a vital role in preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of his people.

The surname OBAS also found its way to other parts of the world through the African diaspora, particularly during the transatlantic slave trade. While records from this period are often incomplete, there are instances of individuals with the surname OBAS in various historical documents from the Caribbean and the Americas, reflecting the resilience and endurance of this name throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Obas

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

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

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

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