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

Onyekwere, 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 Onyekwere surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Onyekwere in America

Onyekwere is the 90113th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Onyekwere surname appeared 205 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 Onyekwere.

We can also compare 2010 data for Onyekwere 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 Onyekwere

The surname Onyekwere originates from the Igbo ethnic group of southeastern Nigeria. It is a combination of the Igbo words "onye," meaning "person," and "ekwere," meaning "to agree" or "to consent." Onyekwere can be interpreted as "a person who agrees" or "a consenting person."

The earliest recorded instances of the Onyekwere surname can be traced back to the 18th century in the region of present-day Anambra and Enugu states, where the Igbo people have traditionally lived. The name was likely adopted as a descriptive surname, reflecting the personality trait or characteristic of being agreeable or consenting.

In the 19th century, the Onyekwere name appears in various historical documents and records related to the region, including land ownership records and local administrative documents. During this period, variations in spelling, such as Onyekwere, Onyekwere, and Oniekwere, were common due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

Notable individuals with the Onyekwere surname include Nnamdi Onyekwere (1920-1985), a renowned Nigerian writer and poet who explored themes of cultural identity and the impact of colonialism. His works, such as "The Broken Pot" and "Echoes from the Lagoon," have been widely studied and celebrated.

Another prominent figure is Chidi Onyekwere (born 1962), a Nigerian businessman and entrepreneur who founded the Onyekwere Group, a conglomerate with interests in various sectors, including real estate, construction, and manufacturing.

In the realm of sports, Onyekwere Nkama (1946-2012) was a Nigerian footballer who played as a striker for the national team and several clubs in Nigeria and Cameroon during the 1960s and 1970s.

Historically, the Onyekwere surname has also been associated with certain place names in southeastern Nigeria, such as the town of Onyekwere in Anambra State and the Onyekwere River, a tributary of the Niger River.

It is worth noting that while the Onyekwere surname is predominantly found among the Igbo people of Nigeria, it has also gained recognition in other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Onyekwere

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

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

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

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