NameCensus.

UK surname

Odusanya

A Yoruba surname meaning "the brave one who fought for his inheritance".

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Southwark, Havering and Newham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Odusanya is 207 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

170

2016, ranked #21,801

Peak year

2010

207 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 170 in 2016, ranked #21,801.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Odusanya surname distribution map

The map shows where the Odusanya surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Odusanya surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Odusanya over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1997 modern 90 #28,360
1998 modern 99 #27,785
1999 modern 95 #28,465
2000 modern 110 #26,248
2001 modern 109 #26,059
2002 modern 123 #24,735
2003 modern 150 #21,669
2004 modern 151 #21,720
2005 modern 173 #19,851
2006 modern 162 #20,886
2007 modern 173 #20,243
2008 modern 171 #20,595
2009 modern 189 #19,727
2010 modern 207 #19,007
2011 modern 199 #19,346
2012 modern 192 #19,730
2013 modern 190 #20,201
2014 modern 182 #20,958
2015 modern 183 #20,786
2016 modern 170 #21,801

Geography

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Where Odusanyas are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Southwark, Havering, Newham, Trafford and Barking and Dagenham. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Southwark 021 Southwark
2 Havering 004 Havering
3 Newham 013 Newham
4 Trafford 001 Trafford
5 Barking and Dagenham 020 Barking and Dagenham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Odusanya

These lists show first names that appear often with the Odusanya surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Odusanya

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Odusanya, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Odusanya surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Odusanya household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Odusanya is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Odusanya is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Odusanya falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Odusanya is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Black - African

This describes the area pattern most associated with Odusanya, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Odusanya

The surname Odusanya originated from the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria. It dates back to the 15th century and is derived from the Yoruba words "Odu," meaning "hunter," and "Anya," meaning "someone who is deft or skilled." The name is a compound word that translates to "a skilled hunter."

Odusanya is believed to have been an occupational surname given to individuals who were skilled hunters and providers for their communities. In the pre-colonial era, hunting was a vital activity for the survival of many Yoruba communities, and those who excelled at it were held in high regard.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Odusanya can be found in the oral traditions and folktales of the Yoruba people. These stories often featured characters with the name, highlighting the importance of hunting in their culture.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in some historical records and manuscripts kept by the Oyo Empire, one of the prominent Yoruba kingdoms of that time. These records mentioned individuals with the surname Odusanya who held positions of importance within the empire.

Notable individuals with the surname Odusanya throughout history include:

1. Oba Odusanya Akinshiku (1790-1856), a prominent ruler of the Ijebu Kingdom in the early 19th century. 2. Reverend Samuel Odusanya (1835-1909), a pioneering Nigerian Baptist missionary and translator who helped translate the Bible into the Yoruba language. 3. Chief Odusanya Okunmakinde (1870-1945), a respected traditional ruler and leader in the Ijebu-Ode region during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. 4. Doherty Odusanya (1908-1984), a Nigerian politician and member of the House of Representatives in the 1950s. 5. Folarin Odusanya (1940-2010), a renowned Nigerian playwright, author, and academic who contributed significantly to the development of Yoruba literature.

The surname Odusanya continues to be widely used among the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria and their descendants around the world, serving as a reminder of their rich cultural heritage and the importance of hunting in their ancestral traditions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Odusanya surname: questions and answers

How common is the Odusanya surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 170 in 2016. That gives Odusanya a modern rank of #21,801.

What does the Odusanya surname mean?

A Yoruba surname meaning "the brave one who fought for his inheritance".

What does the Odusanya map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Odusanya bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.