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

Olayiwola, 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 Olayiwola surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Olayiwola in America

Olayiwola is the 126765th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Olayiwola surname appeared 135 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 Olayiwola.

The history of the last name Olayiwola

The surname OLAYIWOLA originated from the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria. It is a compound word derived from the combination of two Yoruba words, "Ola" meaning wealth or prosperity, and "Iyawola" meaning a woman who gives birth to children. The name was likely given to individuals born into families of affluence or those who were blessed with many children.

OLAYIWOLA can be traced back to the 16th century during the height of the Oyo Empire, one of the most powerful Yoruba states in pre-colonial Nigeria. The name was prevalent among the nobility and prominent families within the empire's territories, which stretched across parts of present-day Benin Republic and Togo.

Historical records from the Oyo Empire, including oral histories and writings from early European explorers, mention individuals bearing the name OLAYIWOLA. One notable figure was Oba Olayiwola, a ruler of the Oyo Empire in the late 17th century, known for his military conquests and expansion of the empire's influence.

The earliest recorded use of the name OLAYIWOLA can be found in the writings of Samuel Ajayi Crowther, a Yoruba linguist and the first African bishop of the Anglican Church, who lived from 1809 to 1891. Crowther's works contain references to individuals with the surname OLAYIWOLA, indicating its widespread use among the Yoruba people during that period.

Other notable individuals with the surname OLAYIWOLA include:

1. Adeyemi Olayiwola (1886-1958), a prominent Nigerian lawyer and politician who played a significant role in the country's independence movement.
2. Olayiwola Afolabi (1923-2004), a Nigerian writer and academic who served as the vice-chancellor of the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) from 1975 to 1978.
3. Adekunle Olayiwola (born 1952), a Nigerian businessman and entrepreneur who founded the Adekunle Olayiwola Group, a conglomerate with interests in various sectors.
4. Olayiwola Olaoye (born 1958), a Nigerian-American academic and author, known for her work on African literature and culture.
5. Olayiwola Olusola (born 1983), a Nigerian-American singer and beatboxer who rose to fame as a member of the a cappella group Pentatonix.

While the name OLAYIWOLA has its roots in the Yoruba culture of Nigeria, it has spread across the globe due to migration and diaspora communities, with individuals bearing this surname found in various parts of the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Olayiwola

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

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

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

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