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

Shehu, 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 Shehu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shehu in America

Shehu is the 39212th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shehu surname appeared 561 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 Shehu.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shehu 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 Shehu

The surname "SHEHU" is believed to have originated in the Hausa-speaking region of West Africa, particularly in present-day Northern Nigeria and parts of Niger. It is a traditional title used by the ruling dynasties and nobles of the Hausa people.

The name "SHEHU" is derived from the Arabic word "Shaikh," meaning a chief, leader, or elder. It is thought to have been adopted during the spread of Islam in the region, as the Hausa rulers and nobility embraced Islamic culture and incorporated Arabic titles and names.

Historical records indicate that the Shehu dynasty ruled over the Hausa city-states and kingdoms, such as the Sokoto Caliphate, which was established in 1804 by Usman dan Fodio, also known as Shehu Usman dan Fodio (1754-1817). He was a prominent Islamic scholar, religious reformer, and the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate.

Another notable figure bearing the surname "SHEHU" was Abdullahi dan Fodio (1766-1828), the brother of Usman dan Fodio and the first Caliph of the Sokoto Caliphate. He played a crucial role in consolidating and expanding the Caliphate's territories.

In the 19th century, Shehu Ahmadu Rufa'i Zakari (1834-1899) was a prominent Islamic scholar and the 12th Sultan of Sokoto Caliphate. He is renowned for his contributions to the preservation of Islamic traditions and education in the region.

Shehu Laminu Liman (1860-1926) was a notable figure from the Sokoto Caliphate, serving as the 18th Sultan of Sokoto from 1915 to 1926. He played a significant role in maintaining the Caliphate's authority during the colonial era.

Another historical figure bearing the surname "SHEHU" was Shehu Idrissa (1890-1959), a prominent Islamic scholar and the 20th Sultan of Sokoto Caliphate, who ruled from 1938 to 1959. He is known for his efforts in promoting education and modernization while preserving Islamic traditions.

While the surname "SHEHU" has its roots in the Hausa-speaking region of West Africa, it has also been adopted by other ethnic groups in the region, reflecting the cultural influence and spread of Islam across various communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shehu

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

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

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

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