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

Omo, 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 Omo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Omo in America

Omo is the 50564th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Omo surname appeared 413 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 Omo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Omo 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 Omo

The surname OMO originated from the Yoruba people of western Nigeria. It is believed to have derived from the Yoruba word "omo," which means "child" or "offspring." The name likely emerged as a descriptive surname during the 14th century, referring to someone who was the child or descendant of a notable person or family.

OMO can be traced back to various historical records in the region, including mentions in oral traditions and written accounts of Yoruba communities. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in a 16th-century manuscript detailing the lineage of the Oyo Empire, where an individual named Omo Alafia was listed as a prominent figure.

In the 17th century, the name OMO appeared in records of the Kingdom of Benin, where it was associated with a respected family of traders and artisans. During this period, variations such as Omolu and Omole were also documented.

Notable individuals with the surname OMO throughout history include:

1. Omo Alafia (c. 1500s), a prominent leader and advisor in the Oyo Empire.
2. Omo Abiodun (1765-1837), a renowned Yoruba sculptor and woodcarver known for his intricate works.
3. Omo Alade (1810-1890), a respected Yoruba scholar and linguist who documented traditional Yoruba literature and folklore.
4. Omo Akintoye (1872-1946), a influential Yoruba educator and advocate for women's education in the early 20th century.
5. Omo Ogunlesi (1923-2008), a pioneering Nigerian architect and urban planner who contributed significantly to the development of modern cities in Nigeria.

While the surname OMO has its roots in Nigeria, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the Yoruba culture and traditions of western Nigeria.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Omo

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

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

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

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