2000
#25,657
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 903
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.33
Rare Last name
Obi
A surname of Nigerian origin indicating that the bearer is of the Igbo ethnic group.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,173 Americans carry the last name Obi. That puts it at #14,974 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.63 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 157,733 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Obi surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Obi with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.2K
1 in 157,733
Census rank
#14,974
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,895 bearers of the surname Obi in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.63 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14974th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Obi, the largest self-reported group is Black at 86.0%. The next largest groups are White (6.8%) and Two or More Races (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Obi
The surname Obi originated in Nigeria, particularly among the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria. The name is believed to have its roots in the Igbo language, where it may have derived from words related to concepts such as heart, bravery, or strength.
One of the earliest documented references to the surname Obi can be found in historical records from the Kingdom of Nri, a powerful ancient Igbo civilization that existed between the 9th and 19th centuries. The Obi family was a prominent lineage within the Nri Kingdom, with members serving as rulers, advisors, and influential figures.
In the 16th century, during the height of the Kingdom of Nri's influence, several Obi chieftains were mentioned in oral traditions and written accounts by early European explorers and missionaries who visited the region. One notable figure was Obi Agbogidi, a revered Nri ruler known for his wisdom and leadership skills, who reigned in the late 16th century.
As the Igbo people dispersed across Nigeria and beyond, the surname Obi spread to other regions. In the 18th century, records indicate the presence of Obi families in various parts of what is now known as Anambra State, where they played influential roles in local communities and politics.
One of the earliest documented examples of the surname Obi in written form can be found in the diaries and records of European missionaries who worked in the region during the 19th century. These accounts often mentioned Obi as a common surname among the Igbo people they encountered.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Obi:
1. Obi Nwakanma (1804-1887), a renowned Igbo merchant and trader who established trade routes across West Africa in the 19th century.
2. Obi Okigbo (1872-1943), a distinguished Igbo leader and champion of education who played a significant role in establishing schools in eastern Nigeria.
3. Obi Nnadi (1901-1977), a prominent Nigerian politician and activist who advocated for the rights of the Igbo people during the colonial era.
4. Obi Wali (1932-2008), a celebrated Nigerian writer and poet who explored Igbo culture and traditions in his work.
5. Obi Ezekwesili (born 1963), a renowned Nigerian economic policy expert and former Vice President of the World Bank.
While the surname Obi has its roots in Nigeria, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and the Igbo diaspora. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the cultural heritage of the Igbo people and the region's rich history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Obi
Among Census respondents with the surname Obi, the largest self-reported group is Black at 86.0%. The next largest groups are White (6.8%) and Two or More Races (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Obi bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Obi surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American86.0% · 1,629
- White6.8% · 129
- Two or more races2.3% · 43
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.1% · 40
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.5% · 29
- Hispanic or Latino1.3% · 25
Timeline
Historical Census data for Obi
Obi appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#19,296
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,403
+500 bearers (+55.4%)
Per 100,000 0.48
Rank movement Up 6,361 places
2020
#14,974
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,895
+492 bearers (+35.1%)
Per 100,000 0.63
Rank movement Up 4,322 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #25,657 | 903 | 0.33 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #19,296 | 1,403 | 0.48 | +500 bearers (+55.4%) | Up 6,361 places |
| 2020 | #14,974 | 1,895 | 0.63 | +492 bearers (+35.1%) | Up 4,322 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Obi surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #19,296 | #14,974 | 22.4% |
| Count | 1,403 | 1,895 | 35.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.48 | 0.63 | 32.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Obi bearers went from 1,403 to 1,895 (+35.1% change). The surname moved up 4,322 positions in the national ranking, going from #19,296 to #14,974.
FAQ
Obi surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Obi?
Name Census estimates that about 2,173 living Americans carry the surname Obi. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 157,733 residents.
How common is Obi?
Obi ranks #14,974 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.63 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,895 people with the surname Obi. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,173), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.63 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.63 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Obi.
Has Obi become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Obi went from 1,403 recorded bearers to 1,895. That is an increase of 492 (+35.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #19,296 to #14,974.
What does the Census say about the background of Obi?
Among Census respondents with the surname Obi, the largest self-reported group is Black at 86.0%. The next largest groups are White (6.8%) and Two or More Races (2.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Obi in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.0% (1,629 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Obi appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (86.0%), White (6.8%), Two or More Races (2.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Obi (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Obi mean?
A surname of Nigerian origin indicating that the bearer is of the Igbo ethnic group. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Obi (0.63 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Obi?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.