Quansah last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Quansah

A Ghanaian surname derived from the Akan word "akwansaw" signifying a warrior or soldier.

Quansah, 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 Quansah surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Quansah in America

Quansah is the 63698th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Quansah surname appeared 313 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 Quansah.

We can also compare 2010 data for Quansah 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 63698 122534 -63.19%
Count 313 130 82.62%
Proportion per 100k 0.11 0.05 75.00%

The history of the last name Quansah

The surname Quansah has its origins in West Africa, specifically in the Akan people of Ghana. It is believed to have emerged during the 16th or 17th century, when the region was known as the Gold Coast. The name is derived from the Akan word "kwansah," which means "wanderer" or "one who travels extensively."

One of the earliest known records of the name Quansah can be found in the Dutch archives from the 17th century, when the Dutch had established settlements along the Gold Coast. These archives mention individuals with the name Quansah who were involved in trade and other activities with the Dutch settlers.

In the 18th century, the name Quansah appeared in British colonial records from the Gold Coast region. These records often referred to individuals with this surname as merchants, traders, or local leaders who interacted with the British colonial authorities.

During the 19th century, the name Quansah gained prominence among the Akan people of Ghana. One notable individual with this surname was Kwaku Quansah (c. 1820-1892), a wealthy merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the development of the town of Cape Coast.

Another prominent figure with the surname Quansah was Nana Kodwo Quansah (1855-1925), a powerful chief and leader of the Essikadu people in the Western Region of Ghana. He was known for his resistance against British colonial rule and his efforts to preserve traditional Akan customs and practices.

In the 20th century, several individuals with the surname Quansah made their mark in various fields. For example, Kwesi Quansah (1920-2008) was a renowned Ghanaian artist and sculptor, whose works celebrated Akan culture and traditions.

Another notable individual with this surname was Gladys Quansah (1932-2022), a Ghanaian educator and women's rights activist. She played a crucial role in promoting girls' education and advocating for gender equality in Ghana.

The name Quansah has also been associated with several place names in Ghana, such as Quansah Farms and Quansah Village, reflecting the historical presence and influence of individuals with this surname in various regions of the country.

Overall, the surname Quansah has a rich history rooted in the Akan culture of Ghana, and it has been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions in various spheres, including trade, leadership, arts, education, and activism.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Quansah

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

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 Quansah was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 1.92% 6
Non-Hispanic Black Only 96.17% 301
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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 Quansah has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 1.92% (S)% (S)%
Black 96.17% 91.54% 4.93%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.00% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races (S)% 4.62% (S)%
Hispanic (S)% (S)% (S)%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Quansah last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/quansah-surname-popularity/.

"Quansah last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/quansah-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

Quansah last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/quansah-surname-popularity/.

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