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

Osuji, 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 Osuji surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Osuji in America

Osuji is the 43584th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Osuji surname appeared 495 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 Osuji.

We can also compare 2010 data for Osuji 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 Osuji

The surname Osuji is of Nigerian origin, specifically from the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria. It traces its roots back to the 16th century or earlier. The name is derived from the Igbo words "osu" meaning "boundary" and "ji" meaning "to live or dwell." So the name essentially means "one who lives at the boundary."

Historically, the Osuji name was associated with communities located near borders or boundary areas between different Igbo towns or villages. These boundary settlements often served as trading centers or neutral meeting grounds for neighboring groups.

One of the earliest recorded references to the Osuji name can be found in oral histories and folklore passed down through generations of Igbo storytellers and griots. These oral traditions mention prominent Osuji families and lineages from various Igbo clans and kingdoms.

In the late 19th century, British colonial records and anthropological accounts began documenting African names and lineages more extensively. The Osuji surname appears in some of these early written accounts of Igbo culture and society.

Notable individuals with the Osuji surname include Nnamdi Osuji (1892-1972), a pioneering Igbo educator and school administrator who helped establish several secondary schools in eastern Nigeria during the colonial era.

Another prominent figure was Chinua Osuji (1921-1996), an acclaimed Igbo novelist, playwright and critic whose works explored themes of cultural identity and the impacts of colonialism. He was considered one of the leading voices of African literature in the 20th century.

In the mid-20th century, Chief Samuel Osuji (1910-1987) was a respected Igbo traditional ruler and community leader who played a key role in preserving local customs and resolving disputes during a period of rapid social change.

More recently, Dr. Ifeoma Osuji (born 1955) is a renowned Nigerian physician and global health advocate who has worked extensively on HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment initiatives across Africa.

In the field of academics, Professor Chinedu Osuji (born 1970) is a distinguished Nigerian-American chemical engineer and materials scientist currently based at the University of Pennsylvania.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Osuji

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

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

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

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