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

Uche, 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 Uche surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Uche in America

Uche is the 53667th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Uche surname appeared 385 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 Uche.

We can also compare 2010 data for Uche 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 Uche

The surname "UCHE" originates from the Igbo ethnic group of southeastern Nigeria. It is believed to have derived from the Igbo word "uche," which means "mind" or "intellect." The name likely emerged in the region around the 16th or 17th century, during the early days of the Igbo people's settlement in the area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the writings of Olaudah Equiano, a prominent Igbo abolitionist and former slave who lived from 1745 to 1797. In his autobiography, Equiano mentioned encountering individuals with the surname "Uche" during his travels through the Igbo heartland.

The name also appears in some historical documents from the 19th century, such as colonial records and missionary accounts. These sources often spell it as "Utche" or "Utchey," reflecting the phonetic variations common at the time.

A notable bearer of the name was Nnamdi Uche, a prominent Igbo chief and trader who lived in the early 20th century. He was known for his role in facilitating trade between the Igbo people and European merchants during the colonial era.

Another significant figure was Chinua Uche, an Igbo writer and scholar who lived from 1930 to 2013. He was renowned for his works exploring Igbo culture and traditions, and his efforts to preserve the Igbo language and literature.

In more recent times, the name has been carried by individuals such as Emeka Uche, a Nigerian-American author and professor who has written extensively on African literature and diaspora studies. He was born in 1962.

It is worth noting that the name "Uche" is not limited to Nigeria alone. It has also been adopted by individuals of Igbo descent in other parts of West Africa, as well as in the Igbo diaspora communities around the world.

Overall, the surname "UCHE" has a rich history rooted in the Igbo culture of southeastern Nigeria, and it has been borne by notable figures throughout the centuries, reflecting the intellectual and cultural traditions of the Igbo people.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Uche

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

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

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

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