2010
#129,825
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 131
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Uwakwe
A surname from the Igbo people of Nigeria, possibly meaning "wealth has returned".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 265 Americans carry the last name Uwakwe. That puts it at #86,747 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,293,413 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Uwakwe surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
265
1 in 1,293,413
Census rank
#86,747
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
231
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 231 bearers of the surname Uwakwe in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 86747th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Uwakwe, the largest self-reported group is Black at 96.1%. The next largest groups are White (2.2%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Uwakwe
The surname UWAKWE has its origins in the Igbo language spoken in southeastern Nigeria. It is believed to have emerged in the 15th century among the Igbo people, who predominantly inhabit the region. The name is derived from the Igbo words "uwa," meaning "world," and "kwe," which means "to share or distribute."
One of the earliest known records of the UWAKWE surname dates back to the late 16th century, where it appeared in a local chieftaincy ledger documenting land ownership and tax records in the Awka region of present-day Anambra State. This suggests that the name may have originated from a prominent family or lineage within the Igbo community during that period.
In the 17th century, the UWAKWE name was mentioned in several historical accounts of trade interactions between Igbo merchants and European explorers along the Niger River. These records highlight the economic influence and trading prowess of certain UWAKWE families at the time.
Notable individuals bearing the UWAKWE surname include Nnamdi UWAKWE (1891-1976), a prominent Igbo businessman and philanthropist who played a significant role in the development of the eastern region of Nigeria during the colonial era. Another notable figure was Nwamaka UWAKWE (1924-2001), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's education in Nigeria.
Other historical figures with the UWAKWE surname include Chukwuma UWAKWE (1867-1945), a respected traditional ruler and mediator known for resolving disputes between neighboring communities in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Nnenna UWAKWE (1903-1989) was a renowned textile artist whose intricate weaving patterns and designs were widely celebrated throughout the region.
In the 19th century, the UWAKWE name was associated with several villages and settlements in the Igbo heartland, such as Uwakwe Enu, Uwakwe Ogidi, and Uwakwe Nri, which may have been named after prominent UWAKWE families or clans that inhabited those areas.
Throughout its history, the UWAKWE surname has maintained a strong presence among the Igbo people, reflecting the cultural values of community, sharing, and economic prosperity that are embedded in its linguistic roots.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Uwakwe
Among Census respondents with the surname Uwakwe, the largest self-reported group is Black at 96.1%. The next largest groups are White (2.2%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Uwakwe bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Uwakwe surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American96.1% · 222
- White2.2% · 5
- Two or more races1.7% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Uwakwe
Uwakwe appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#86,747
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 231
+100 bearers (+76.3%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Up 43,078 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #129,825 | 131 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #86,747 | 231 | 0.08 | +100 bearers (+76.3%) | Up 43,078 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Uwakwe surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #129,825 | #86,747 | 33.2% |
| Count | 131 | 231 | 76.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.08 | 93.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Uwakwe bearers went from 131 to 231 (+76.3% change). The surname moved up 43,078 positions in the national ranking, going from #129,825 to #86,747.
FAQ
Uwakwe surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Uwakwe?
Name Census estimates that about 265 living Americans carry the surname Uwakwe. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,293,413 residents.
How common is Uwakwe?
Uwakwe ranks #86,747 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 231 people with the surname Uwakwe. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (265), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.08 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.08 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Uwakwe.
Has Uwakwe become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Uwakwe went from 131 recorded bearers to 231. That is an increase of 100 (+76.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #129,825 to #86,747.
What does the Census say about the background of Uwakwe?
Among Census respondents with the surname Uwakwe, the largest self-reported group is Black at 96.1%. The next largest groups are White (2.2%) and Two or More Races (1.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Uwakwe in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.1% (222 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Uwakwe appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (96.1%), White (2.2%), Two or More Races (1.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Uwakwe (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Uwakwe mean?
A surname from the Igbo people of Nigeria, possibly meaning "wealth has returned". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Uwakwe (0.08 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Uwakwe?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.