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

Onuorah, 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 Onuorah surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Onuorah in America

Onuorah is the 104602nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Onuorah surname appeared 171 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 Onuorah.

The history of the last name Onuorah

The surname Onuorah originates from the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria. It is believed to have emerged in the 15th or 16th century. The name Onuorah is derived from the Igbo words "Onu" meaning "mouth" and "ora" meaning "speaks." Therefore, Onuorah can be translated to mean "one who speaks" or "speaker."

Some historical records suggest that the name Onuorah was initially associated with individuals who held positions of authority or influence within their communities, as they were often called upon to speak on behalf of their people. It was considered a respected title bestowed upon those with exceptional oratory skills.

One of the earliest known references to the name Onuorah can be found in a colonial-era document from the late 18th century, which mentions a chief named Onuorah who led negotiations with British officials during the expansion of the slave trade in the region.

In the 19th century, an Onuorah family is recorded as residing in the village of Ogbunike, located in the present-day Anambra State of Nigeria. This family was known for their involvement in traditional leadership roles and their expertise in oratory and diplomacy.

Notable individuals with the surname Onuorah include:

1. Chike Onuorah (1932-2018), a Nigerian politician and diplomat who served as the first Nigerian ambassador to the United Nations.

2. Nkiru Onuorah (born 1952), a Nigerian writer and academic, best known for her critically acclaimed novel "The Miracle Mother."

3. Okwui Onuorah (born 1963), a Nigerian-British filmmaker and artist, whose work explores themes of identity and diaspora.

4. Chinedu Onuorah (born 1979), a Nigerian-American soccer player who played professionally in Major League Soccer.

5. Chigozie Onuorah (born 1987), a Nigerian-American basketball player who played professionally in Europe and the NBA G League.

Throughout history, variations of the name Onuorah have been recorded, such as Onuora, Onuoha, and Onuohah, reflecting regional dialects and spelling conventions within the Igbo language.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Onuorah

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

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

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

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