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

Opara, 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 Opara surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Opara in America

Opara is the 31412th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Opara surname appeared 737 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 Opara.

We can also compare 2010 data for Opara 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 Opara

The surname Opara has its origins in Nigeria, tracing back to the early 19th century. It is derived from the Igbo language and is believed to have emerged from the Igbo word "opara," which means "offspring" or "child." The name is particularly prevalent in the southeastern region of Nigeria, where the Igbo ethnic group is concentrated.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Opara can be found in historical documents and records from the late 19th century. One notable example is the mention of Chief Opara Nwauna, a prominent leader of the Igbo community in the town of Umuahia during the late 1800s.

In the early 20th century, the Opara surname gained wider recognition with the birth of Dr. Michael Opara (1900-1965), a renowned Nigerian physician and politician. He played a pivotal role in the fight for Nigerian independence and served as the first Nigerian Minister of Health after the country gained independence from Britain in 1960.

Another notable figure with the Opara surname is Chief Samuel Opara (1912-1983), a Nigerian entrepreneur and philanthropist. He founded the Opara Group of Companies, which became one of the largest business conglomerates in Nigeria during his lifetime.

In the literary world, the name Opara is associated with the Nigerian author and poet, Chigozie Obioma Opara (born 1986). His debut novel, "The Fishermen," published in 2015, received critical acclaim and won several prestigious literary awards.

Beyond Nigeria, the Opara surname has also gained recognition in other parts of the world. One example is Reverend Opara Zion (1825-1901), a prominent African-American minister and abolitionist who was born into slavery in Virginia, United States, and later became a respected leader in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Throughout history, the Opara surname has been associated with various notable individuals, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who bear this name. While the name has its roots in Nigeria, it has transcended geographical boundaries and continues to carry a rich cultural and historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Opara

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

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

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

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