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

Olatunde, 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 Olatunde surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Olatunde in America

Olatunde is the 151532nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Olatunde surname appeared 108 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 Olatunde.

The history of the last name Olatunde

The surname OLATUNDE is of Nigerian origin, specifically from the Yoruba ethnic group. It is believed to have emerged in the 15th century or earlier during the height of the Oyo Empire in modern-day southwestern Nigeria.

OLATUNDE is a compound word derived from the Yoruba words "Ola," meaning "wealth," and "Tunde," a shortened version of the name "Olutunde," meaning "the one who returns from the other world." The combination of these words suggests that the name OLATUNDE carries the meaning of "the wealth that returns from the other world."

Historical records of the name OLATUNDE can be traced back to the 16th century, where it appears in some manuscripts and oral traditions of the Yoruba people. One notable early bearer of the name was Olatunde Akinmoyero, a renowned warrior and chief in the Oyo Empire during the late 16th century.

In the 18th century, the name OLATUNDE was associated with several notable individuals, including Olatunde Awolowo, a prominent trader and landowner in the city of Ibadan, and Olatunde Adeyemi, a respected chief and advisor to the Alaafin (ruler) of Oyo.

As the Yoruba people migrated and settled in different parts of modern-day Nigeria and beyond, the name OLATUNDE continued to be used and passed down through generations. Some notable bearers of the name in more recent history include:

1. Olatunde Odetola (1928-2018), a Nigerian lawyer and politician who served as the Attorney General of Nigeria from 1966 to 1967.
2. Olatunde Osunsanmi (born 1972), a Nigerian-American film director and screenwriter known for his work on films like "The Fourth Kind" and "Sleepwalkers."
3. Olatunde Osunsamni (born 1980), a Nigerian-American visual artist and photographer based in New York.
4. Olatunde Ayinde (born 1956), a renowned Nigerian musician and bandleader, known for his contributions to the genre of Fuji music.
5. Olatunde Sowande (1905-1987), a Nigerian-British composer and choir director who made significant contributions to choral music in the United Kingdom.

The name OLATUNDE has been well-documented in historical records, oral traditions, and cultural works, reflecting its deep roots and significance within the Yoruba culture and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Olatunde

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

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

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

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