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

Okafor, 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 Okafor surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Okafor in America

Okafor is the 15194th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Okafor surname appeared 1,939 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Okafor.

We can also compare 2010 data for Okafor 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 Okafor

The surname Okafor has its origins in the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria. It is a patronymic name derived from the personal name "Okafor," which means "male child born on Afor market day" in the Igbo language.

The name can be traced back to the 16th century when the Igbo people had a system of naming their children based on the day of the week or market day they were born. Afor is one of the four market days in the traditional Igbo calendar, and Okafor refers to a male child born on that day.

In the early 19th century, the name Okafor appeared in written records and manuscripts documenting the history and culture of the Igbo people. One notable example is the work of Reverend John Christopher Taylor, a British missionary who wrote extensively about the Igbo language and customs.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Okafor was Nnamdi Okafor, a prominent Igbo trader and community leader in the late 18th century. He was known for his involvement in the slave trade and his influence in the region.

Another notable figure with the Okafor surname was Chinua Achebe (1930-2013), the renowned Nigerian novelist and author of the classic novel "Things Fall Apart." His works explored the effects of colonialism on the Igbo people and their culture.

In the 20th century, the Okafor surname gained greater recognition with individuals like Chike Okafor (1932-2019), a Nigerian businessman and philanthropist who founded the Chike Okafor Foundation to support education and healthcare initiatives in Nigeria.

Additionally, Okwui Okafor (born 1955) is a Nigerian diplomat and former UN Under-Secretary-General. She served as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) from 2007 to 2010.

One of the more contemporary figures with the Okafor surname is Ifeoma Okafor-Yarewood, a Nigerian-American lawyer and human rights activist. She has been recognized for her work in promoting women's rights and advocating for social justice.

While the surname Okafor originated from the Igbo people of Nigeria, it has since spread globally due to migration and diaspora communities. However, its roots and historical significance remain deeply intertwined with the culture and traditions of the Igbo people.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Okafor

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

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

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

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