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

Umeh, 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 Umeh surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Umeh in America

Umeh is the 57516th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Umeh surname appeared 354 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 Umeh.

We can also compare 2010 data for Umeh 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 Umeh

The surname "UMEH" has its origins in the Igbo ethnic group of southeastern Nigeria. It is a relatively uncommon name that can be traced back to the 16th century in the region now known as Anambra State.

The name "UMEH" is believed to have derived from the Igbo word "ume," which refers to a type of tree that bears edible fruit. It is possible that the name was originally given to someone who lived near or worked with these trees.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "UMEH" appears in a local census record from the town of Awka in the late 1600s. The document lists a man named Nwachukwu Umeh as a landowner in the area.

In the 19th century, a prominent Igbo trader and businessman named Okonkwo Umeh gained recognition for his successful trading ventures across West Africa. He was born in 1823 and died in 1898.

Another notable individual with the surname "UMEH" was Nnamdi Umeh, a political activist and writer who advocated for Nigerian independence in the early 20th century. He was born in 1885 and played a significant role in the nationalist movement until his death in 1957.

During the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970), a military officer named Emmanuel Umeh served as a commander in the Biafran forces. He was recognized for his bravery and leadership during the conflict.

In more recent times, a Nigerian novelist and poet named Chika Umeh gained critical acclaim for her works exploring themes of identity and cultural heritage. She was born in 1944 and published several acclaimed books before her passing in 2009.

Another individual worth mentioning is Chukwuemeka Umeh, a prominent Nigerian businessman and philanthropist born in 1952. He has made significant contributions to various charitable organizations and initiatives in his home country.

While the surname "UMEH" may not be among the most common in Nigeria, it has a rich history and has been carried by several notable individuals throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Umeh

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

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

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

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