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

Wahome, 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 Wahome surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wahome in America

Wahome is the 146201st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wahome surname appeared 113 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 Wahome.

The history of the last name Wahome

The surname Wahome originated in Kenya, East Africa, and is believed to have first appeared in the 16th century among the Kikuyu people, the largest ethnic group in Kenya. The name is derived from the Kikuyu language and is thought to have its roots in the word "muhome," which means "blacksmith" or "iron worker."

One of the earliest known records of the name Wahome can be found in the oral traditions and genealogies of the Kikuyu people, where it is mentioned as a family name associated with the ironworking clans that lived in the central highlands of Kenya. These clans were highly respected for their skilled craftsmanship and played a vital role in the production of tools, weapons, and other iron implements.

During the 19th century, the name Wahome appears in some of the earliest written records of Kikuyu culture, such as the accounts of early European explorers and missionaries who visited the region. One notable example is Johann Ludwig Krapf, a German missionary who lived among the Kikuyu in the 1840s and documented various aspects of their language and customs.

In more recent history, several prominent individuals have borne the surname Wahome. One notable figure was Jomo Kenyatta (1894-1978), the first Prime Minister and President of independent Kenya, who had close connections with the Kikuyu community and played a crucial role in the country's struggle for independence from British colonial rule.

Another well-known person with the surname Wahome was Mbiyu Koinange (1907-1981), a Kenyan politician and statesman who served as a member of the Legislative Council and later as a member of the first post-independence government of Kenya under Kenyatta's leadership.

Additionally, the late Professor Wahome Mutahi (1928-2003) was a renowned Kenyan academic and linguist who made significant contributions to the study and preservation of Kikuyu language and culture, publishing numerous books and articles on the subject.

Mwai Wahome, born in 1952, is a Kenyan businessman and entrepreneur who founded the Wahome Group, a diversified conglomerate operating in various sectors, including agriculture, real estate, and hospitality.

Lastly, Peter Wahome is a contemporary Kenyan author and playwright who has written several acclaimed works exploring themes of identity, culture, and social issues in modern Kenya, including the novel "The Half-Life of a Kenyan Son" and the play "Smell of a Man."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wahome

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

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 Wahome 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.

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

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

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