2000
#17,970
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,433
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.53
Rare Last name
Owusu
A surname of Ghanaian origin indicating the person was born on a Sunday.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,149 Americans carry the last name Owusu. That puts it at #7,177 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.50 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 66,567 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Owusu surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Owusu with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.1K
1 in 66,567
Census rank
#7,177
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,490 bearers of the surname Owusu in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.50 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7177th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Owusu, the largest self-reported group is Black at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.3%) and White (1.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Owusu
The surname Owusu originates from Ghana in West Africa. It is an Akan family name that was prominent among the Ashanti people. The name is derived from the Twi word "owusu," which translates to "born on Sunday." This suggests that the name was likely given to children born on that day of the week.
Owusu can be traced back to the 17th century when the Ashanti Empire was at its peak. The name appeared in historical records and manuscripts documenting the kingdom's rulers and notable figures. One of the earliest known individuals with the surname was Nana Owusu Akyaw Panin, a prominent chief who lived in the late 17th century.
In the 18th century, the Owusu name was associated with several influential leaders within the Ashanti Empire. Osei Owusu Amankwatia, who ruled from 1720 to 1745, was a powerful and respected Asantehene (king). His reign was marked by territorial expansions and the consolidation of Ashanti dominance in the region.
Another notable figure with the Owusu surname was Nana Owusu Ansah, a renowned warrior and military strategist who lived in the late 18th century. He played a pivotal role in defending the Ashanti Kingdom against British colonial forces and is remembered for his bravery and tactical expertise.
In the 19th century, the Owusu name continued to be prominent in Ashanti society. One of the most famous individuals was Kofi Owusu Addo, a merchant and diplomat who facilitated trade relations between the Ashanti and European powers. He was born in 1820 and played a crucial role in negotiating treaties and fostering economic ties.
Another influential figure was Kwaku Owusu Agyeman, a traditional ruler and statesman who lived from 1840 to 1912. He was known for his diplomatic skills and efforts to maintain the autonomy of the Ashanti Kingdom during the colonial era.
Throughout history, the Owusu surname has been associated with various place names and locations within the Ashanti region, reflecting the name's deep roots in the area. Some examples include Owusu Ahenkro, Owusu Ananse, and Owusu Ansah, which were all towns or settlements named after individuals with the Owusu surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Owusu
Among Census respondents with the surname Owusu, the largest self-reported group is Black at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.3%) and White (1.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Owusu bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Owusu surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American94.6% · 4,246
- Two or more races2.3% · 104
- White1.6% · 74
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 37
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 27
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Owusu
Owusu appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#10,837
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,938
+1,505 bearers (+105.0%)
Per 100,000 1.00
Rank movement Up 7,133 places
2020
#7,177
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,490
+1,552 bearers (+52.8%)
Per 100,000 1.50
Rank movement Up 3,660 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #17,970 | 1,433 | 0.53 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,837 | 2,938 | 1.00 | +1,505 bearers (+105.0%) | Up 7,133 places |
| 2020 | #7,177 | 4,490 | 1.50 | +1,552 bearers (+52.8%) | Up 3,660 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Owusu surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #10,837 | #7,177 | 33.8% |
| Count | 2,938 | 4,490 | 52.8% |
| Per 100K | 1.00 | 1.50 | 50.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Owusu bearers went from 2,938 to 4,490 (+52.8% change). The surname moved up 3,660 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,837 to #7,177.
FAQ
Owusu surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Owusu?
Name Census estimates that about 5,149 living Americans carry the surname Owusu. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 66,567 residents.
How common is Owusu?
Owusu ranks #7,177 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.50 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,490 people with the surname Owusu. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,149), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.5 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.50 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Owusu.
Has Owusu become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Owusu went from 2,938 recorded bearers to 4,490. That is an increase of 1,552 (+52.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #10,837 to #7,177.
What does the Census say about the background of Owusu?
Among Census respondents with the surname Owusu, the largest self-reported group is Black at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.3%) and White (1.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Owusu in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.6% (4,246 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Owusu appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (94.6%), Two or More Races (2.3%), White (1.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Owusu (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Owusu mean?
A surname of Ghanaian origin indicating the person was born on a Sunday. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Owusu (1.50 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Owusu?
Want to know how many Americans have the surname Owusu? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.