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

Odusanya, 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 Odusanya surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Odusanya in America

Odusanya is the 118185th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Odusanya surname appeared 147 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 Odusanya.

The history of the last name Odusanya

The surname Odusanya originated from the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria. It dates back to the 15th century and is derived from the Yoruba words "Odu," meaning "hunter," and "Anya," meaning "someone who is deft or skilled." The name is a compound word that translates to "a skilled hunter."

Odusanya is believed to have been an occupational surname given to individuals who were skilled hunters and providers for their communities. In the pre-colonial era, hunting was a vital activity for the survival of many Yoruba communities, and those who excelled at it were held in high regard.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Odusanya can be found in the oral traditions and folktales of the Yoruba people. These stories often featured characters with the name, highlighting the importance of hunting in their culture.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in some historical records and manuscripts kept by the Oyo Empire, one of the prominent Yoruba kingdoms of that time. These records mentioned individuals with the surname Odusanya who held positions of importance within the empire.

Notable individuals with the surname Odusanya throughout history include:

1. Oba Odusanya Akinshiku (1790-1856), a prominent ruler of the Ijebu Kingdom in the early 19th century.
2. Reverend Samuel Odusanya (1835-1909), a pioneering Nigerian Baptist missionary and translator who helped translate the Bible into the Yoruba language.
3. Chief Odusanya Okunmakinde (1870-1945), a respected traditional ruler and leader in the Ijebu-Ode region during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
4. Doherty Odusanya (1908-1984), a Nigerian politician and member of the House of Representatives in the 1950s.
5. Folarin Odusanya (1940-2010), a renowned Nigerian playwright, author, and academic who contributed significantly to the development of Yoruba literature.

The surname Odusanya continues to be widely used among the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria and their descendants around the world, serving as a reminder of their rich cultural heritage and the importance of hunting in their ancestral traditions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Odusanya

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

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 Odusanya 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.

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

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

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