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

Osuagwu, 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 Osuagwu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Osuagwu in America

Osuagwu is the 104156th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Osuagwu surname appeared 172 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 Osuagwu.

The history of the last name Osuagwu

The surname "OSUAGWU" has its origins in the Igbo ethnic group of Nigeria. It can be traced back to the late 15th century and the early 16th century when the Igbo people established their settlements in the present-day southeastern part of Nigeria. The name is derived from the Igbo language, with "osu" meaning "source" or "origin" and "agwu" meaning "god" or "deity."

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname "OSUAGWU" can be found in the accounts of Portuguese traders who visited the coastal regions of southeastern Nigeria in the 16th century. These traders documented their interactions with the Igbo people and their local chieftains, some of whom bore the surname "OSUAGWU."

In the 18th century, the name "OSUAGWU" appears in the records of the British colonial administration in Nigeria, particularly in the areas of present-day Anambra and Enugu states. These records often listed individuals with the surname "OSUAGWU" as landowners, traders, or village elders.

One notable figure with the surname "OSUAGWU" was Nnamdi Osuagwu (1890-1965), a prominent Nigerian entrepreneur and businessman who played a significant role in the development of the palm oil industry in the early 20th century. Another individual of historical significance was Chinyere Osuagwu (1923-2002), a pioneering Nigerian educator and women's rights activist who advocated for equal educational opportunities for girls and women.

In the realm of literature, the name "OSUAGWU" is associated with Chukwuemeka Osuagwu (1932-2011), a renowned Igbo novelist and poet whose works explored the cultural richness and complexities of Igbo society. His seminal novel, "The Endless Circle," published in 1968, is considered a classic of Nigerian literature.

One of the earliest recorded spellings of the surname "OSUAGWU" can be found in the records of the Royal Niger Company, a British company that operated in Nigeria in the late 19th century. In these records, the name is sometimes spelled as "Osuagwuh" or "Osuagwuh," reflecting the variations in the romanization of Igbo names by European traders and administrators.

Throughout history, the surname "OSUAGWU" has been associated with various place names in southeastern Nigeria, particularly in the areas around Awka and Enugu. Some of these place names include Osuagwu Obalu, Osuagwu Ukwu, and Osuagwu Ufuma, which may have served as the historical origins or settlements of different branches of the Osuagwu family.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Osuagwu

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

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

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

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