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

Ojukwu, 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 Ojukwu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ojukwu in America

Ojukwu is the 78821st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ojukwu surname appeared 242 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 Ojukwu.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ojukwu 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 Ojukwu

The surname Ojukwu originates from the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria. It is believed to have emerged in the 16th or 17th century, deriving from the Igbo words "ọjụ" meaning "war" and "kwụ" meaning "bread" or "sustenance." Thus, the name Ojukwu can be interpreted to mean "one who sustains the war effort" or "one who provides for the warriors."

The earliest known record of the Ojukwu name dates back to the late 17th century, when it appeared in historical accounts of the Kingdom of Nri, one of the oldest and most influential Igbo civilizations. During this period, the Ojukwu family was known for their military prowess and their role in defending the kingdom against invaders.

In the 19th century, the Ojukwu name gained prominence during the Igbo resistance against British colonialism. One notable figure was Nwankwo Ojukwu, a warrior and leader who rallied his people against the British forces in the Aro Expedition of 1901-1902.

The most famous bearer of the Ojukwu name was Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu (1933-2011), a Nigerian military leader and politician. He was the leader of the secessionist state of Biafra during the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970), leading the Igbo people's struggle for independence.

Another notable Ojukwu was Christopher Okigbo (1932-1967), a celebrated Nigerian poet and scholar who fought and died during the Biafran War. His poetry, often infused with Igbo mythology and themes of resistance, has left a lasting impact on Nigerian literature.

In the realm of Nigerian politics, Emeka Ojukwu Jr. (born 1959), the son of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, has carried on his father's legacy. He has been actively involved in various political movements and has served as a member of the Nigerian Senate.

The Ojukwu name has also been prominent in other fields, such as academia and business. For instance, Brendan Ojukwu (born 1942) is a Nigerian-Canadian engineer and academic who has made significant contributions to the field of computer science and engineering.

Throughout its history, the Ojukwu surname has been associated with resilience, leadership, and a strong sense of cultural identity. It continues to be a respected name among the Igbo people and in Nigerian society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ojukwu

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

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

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

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