2000
#25,272
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 920
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.34
Rare Last name
Okeke
A surname of Igbo origin meaning "one who is upright or righteous".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,454 Americans carry the last name Okeke. That puts it at #13,571 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.72 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 139,672 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Okeke 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 Okeke with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.5K
1 in 139,672
Census rank
#13,571
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,140 bearers of the surname Okeke in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.72 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13571st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Okeke, the largest self-reported group is Black at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.3%) and White (2.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Okeke
The surname Okeke originated in the Igbo ethnic group of southeastern Nigeria. It is believed to have emerged around the 15th century in the area now known as Anambra State. The name Okeke is derived from the Igbo words "oke" meaning "male" and "ke" meaning "thank," suggesting a meaning of "thank the male."
Okeke is a widespread surname among the Igbo people, and it can be traced back to various towns and villages in Anambra State, such as Awka, Onitsha, and Nnewi. The name has also been found in historical records and manuscripts from the region, although the earliest known written record is from the late 18th century.
One of the earliest documented Okekes was Nnamdi Okeke (1836-1904), a prominent Igbo trader and businessman from Onitsha. He played a significant role in the development of trade networks between the Igbo hinterland and the coastal regions during the 19th century.
Another notable figure was Ozumba Okeke (1863-1930), a traditional ruler and warrior from Awka. He was known for his leadership and military prowess during the Igbo resistance against British colonial expansion in the late 19th century.
In the 20th century, one of the most famous Okekes was Christopher Okeke (1927-2003), a renowned Nigerian writer and playwright. His works, such as "The Drums of War" and "The Mask of Virtue," explored Igbo culture and traditions.
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Okeke (1933-2016) was a prominent Nigerian artist and sculptor. He is regarded as one of the pioneers of modern Nigerian art and is known for his distinctive style that blended traditional Igbo motifs with contemporary themes.
Azubuike Okeke (1956-present) is a Nigerian-American engineer and entrepreneur. He co-founded Transas, a leading provider of software solutions for the maritime industry, and has been recognized for his contributions to technology and innovation.
While the surname Okeke has its roots in the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria, it has spread across various regions and countries due to migration and diaspora communities. However, the historical and cultural significance of this name remains deeply rooted in the Igbo heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Okeke
Among Census respondents with the surname Okeke, the largest self-reported group is Black at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.3%) and White (2.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Okeke 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 Okeke surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American94.6% · 2,024
- Two or more races2.3% · 49
- White2.2% · 47
- Hispanic or Latino0.6% · 13
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Okeke
Okeke 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
#18,910
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,444
+524 bearers (+57.0%)
Per 100,000 0.49
Rank movement Up 6,362 places
2020
#13,571
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,140
+696 bearers (+48.2%)
Per 100,000 0.72
Rank movement Up 5,339 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #25,272 | 920 | 0.34 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #18,910 | 1,444 | 0.49 | +524 bearers (+57.0%) | Up 6,362 places |
| 2020 | #13,571 | 2,140 | 0.72 | +696 bearers (+48.2%) | Up 5,339 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 Okeke 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 | #18,910 | #13,571 | 28.2% |
| Count | 1,444 | 2,140 | 48.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.49 | 0.72 | 46.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Okeke bearers went from 1,444 to 2,140 (+48.2% change). The surname moved up 5,339 positions in the national ranking, going from #18,910 to #13,571.
FAQ
Okeke surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Okeke?
Name Census estimates that about 2,454 living Americans carry the surname Okeke. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 139,672 residents.
How common is Okeke?
Okeke ranks #13,571 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.72 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 2,140 people with the surname Okeke. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,454), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.72 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.72 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 Okeke.
Has Okeke become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Okeke went from 1,444 recorded bearers to 2,140. That is an increase of 696 (+48.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #18,910 to #13,571.
What does the Census say about the background of Okeke?
Among Census respondents with the surname Okeke, the largest self-reported group is Black at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.3%) and White (2.2%). 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 Okeke in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.6% (2,024 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Okeke appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (94.6%), Two or More Races (2.3%), White (2.2%). 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 Okeke (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 Okeke mean?
A surname of Igbo origin meaning "one who is upright or righteous". 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 Okeke (0.72 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 common is the surname Okeke?
Find out how many people have the surname Okeke on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.