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

Onyema, 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 Onyema surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Onyema in America

Onyema is the 136449th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Onyema surname appeared 123 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 Onyema.

The history of the last name Onyema

The surname Onyema originated in the Igbo-speaking regions of southeastern Nigeria. It is an Igbo name that can be traced back to the 15th century. The name is derived from the Igbo words "onu" meaning "mouth" and "eme" meaning "to speak," so it essentially translates to "speaker" or "orator."

In historical records, the earliest known instances of the Onyema surname appear in documents from the Nri Kingdom, one of the oldest kingdoms in the region, dating back to the late 15th century. These records mention individuals with variations of the name such as Onye-eme and Onyemachi.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Onyema name can be found in various accounts and chronicles of European explorers and traders who visited the region. Notable examples include the writings of Portuguese explorer Duarte Pacheco Pereira in 1505 and the accounts of British explorer John Hawkins in 1567.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Onyema surname was Onyema Nwachukwu, a prominent trader and leader in the Awka area of present-day Anambra State, who lived in the late 16th century. Another notable figure was Onyema Nri, a renowned orator and diplomat from the Nri Kingdom who played a crucial role in negotiations with neighboring kingdoms in the early 17th century.

In the 19th century, Onyema Ibe Akwuna, born in 1825, was a renowned Igbo scholar and educator who contributed significantly to the preservation and documentation of Igbo language and culture. Similarly, Onyema Obasi, born in 1842, was a renowned Igbo artist and sculptor whose works depicted traditional Igbo themes and motifs.

During the colonial era, Onyema Nwokolo, born in 1892, was a prominent figure in the anti-colonial movement and advocated for Igbo rights and autonomy. He was a vocal critic of British colonial policies and played a significant role in the early nationalist movements in the region.

Throughout history, the Onyema surname has been associated with individuals who have excelled in various fields, including politics, academia, arts, and commerce, reflecting the name's meaning as "speaker" or "orator."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Onyema

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

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

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

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