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

Okpala, 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 Okpala surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Okpala in America

Okpala is the 70403rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Okpala surname appeared 278 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 Okpala.

We can also compare 2010 data for Okpala 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 Okpala

The surname OKPALA originates from the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria, dating back to at least the 16th century. Its roots can be traced to the Igbo word "okpala," which means "seed" or "offspring." This suggests that the name may have been used to identify someone as the firstborn or heir within a family lineage.

The earliest known written records of the OKPALA surname appear in historical documents from the Igbo region, such as local census records and land ownership records. However, these records were often written in Igbo languages and have not been widely translated or studied by Western scholars.

In the 19th century, the OKPALA name began to appear more frequently in written records as Christian missionaries and colonial administrators documented the names of Igbo people they encountered. One notable early example is Nnamdi Okpala, an Igbo trader and interpreter who worked with British colonial officials in the 1860s.

During the 20th century, several individuals with the OKPALA surname gained prominence in various fields. These include:

1. Chinua Okpala (1905-1966), a Nigerian writer and academic who was one of the pioneers of African literature in English.
2. Emeka Okpala (1920-1995), a Nigerian politician who served as a member of the House of Representatives in the First and Second Republics.
3. Chukwuemeka Okpala (1932-2018), a Nigerian artist and sculptor renowned for his work in bronze and wood.
4. Ike Okpala (born 1954), a Nigerian-American basketball player who played in the NBA and later became a coach and executive.
5. Onyeka Okpala (born 1998), a Nigerian-American basketball player currently playing in the NBA.

While the OKPALA surname has its roots in the Igbo culture of Nigeria, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, the name remains closely tied to its Igbo origins and the rich cultural heritage of southeastern Nigeria.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Okpala

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

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

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

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