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

Salako, 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 Salako surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Salako in America

Salako is the 70645th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Salako surname appeared 277 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 Salako.

We can also compare 2010 data for Salako 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 Salako

The surname Salako has its origins in the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria. It dates back to at least the 16th century, when the Yoruba kingdom of Oyo was at the height of its power and influence in the region.

Salako likely derives from the Yoruba words "sala" meaning "to praise" and "ko" meaning "to gather or assemble." Together, the name could have referred to someone who gathered people for praise or worship, perhaps a religious leader or a town crier.

Early references to the name can be found in some of the oral histories and traditions of the Yoruba people, though written records from that era are scarce. One of the earliest written mentions of the name Salako appears in a 17th century Portuguese document describing trade relations with the Oyo Empire.

The first known bearer of the surname Salako was Adebola Salako, a prominent trader and diplomat in the Oyo Empire who lived from around 1610 to 1685. He played a key role in facilitating trade between the Yoruba and European merchants along the coast.

Another notable figure in Yoruba history with the surname Salako was Oluwole Salako, who lived from 1725 to 1802. He was a respected leader and advisor to the Alaafin (ruler) of Oyo, known for his wisdom and diplomacy in resolving conflicts.

In the 19th century, Sango Salako (1820-1892) was a renowned warrior and military strategist who helped defend the Oyo Empire against external threats and internal revolts. His exploits were recorded in several Yoruba oral histories and songs.

As the Yoruba people migrated and settled in other parts of West Africa and the Americas during the transatlantic slave trade, the surname Salako spread to various regions. One notable figure was Olubunmi Salako (1880-1954), a respected community leader and advocate for education in the Yoruba diaspora in Brazil.

In more recent times, Femi Salako (1931-2008) was a prominent Nigerian businessman and philanthropist who contributed significantly to the development of his hometown in Oyo State.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Salako

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

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

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

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