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

Obasi, 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 Obasi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Obasi in America

Obasi is the 63373rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Obasi surname appeared 315 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 Obasi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Obasi 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 Obasi

The surname OBASI has its origins in the Igbo ethnic group of southeastern Nigeria. It is believed to have emerged sometime in the 16th or 17th century when the use of hereditary surnames became more widespread in the region. The name is thought to be derived from the Igbo word "obasi," which means "the one from the sky" or "the one from the heavens."

In pre-colonial times, Igbo names often reflected various aspects of an individual's birth circumstances, personality traits, or cultural values. The name OBASI may have been given to a child whose birth was seen as a divine blessing or who was born under auspicious celestial conditions.

The earliest known records of the name OBASI can be found in historical accounts and oral traditions passed down through generations of Igbo communities. Some of the earliest documented instances of the name appear in colonial-era records and documents from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Notable individuals with the surname OBASI include Ndubuisi Obasi, a Nigerian artist and sculptor known for his intricate woodcarvings and bronze sculptures, who lived from 1935 to 2018. Another prominent figure is Chukwuemeka Obasi, a Nigerian academic and author who served as a professor of African literature at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (born in 1942).

In the realm of sports, Olisadebe Obasi was a Nigerian footballer who played as a striker for various clubs in Nigeria and Europe, including Enyimba International and AEK Athens, during the late 20th and early 21st centuries (born in 1978).

Historically, the name OBASI has also been associated with notable figures in the Igbo cultural and spiritual traditions. One such individual was Obasi Nwankwo, a renowned traditional healer and spiritual leader from the 19th century who was highly respected for his knowledge of traditional Igbo practices and healing methods.

Another noteworthy figure was Ifeoma Obasi, a celebrated Igbo storyteller and oral historian who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She was known for her captivating tales and her ability to preserve and pass down the rich cultural heritage of the Igbo people through oral storytelling traditions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Obasi

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

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

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

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