NameCensus.

UK surname

Ofosu

An Akan surname originating from Ghana that translates to "a humble man".

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lambeth, Croydon and Hammersmith and Fulham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ofosu is 187 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

185

2016, ranked #20,652

Peak year

2014

187 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 185 in 2016, ranked #20,652.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Ofosu surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ofosu surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ofosu 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 51 #32,545
1998 modern 55 #32,399
1999 modern 61 #31,971
2000 modern 65 #31,641
2001 modern 66 #31,394
2002 modern 79 #30,499
2003 modern 95 #28,536
2004 modern 95 #28,746
2005 modern 117 #25,433
2006 modern 131 #23,942
2007 modern 140 #23,231
2008 modern 164 #21,137
2009 modern 175 #20,707
2010 modern 183 #20,586
2011 modern 172 #21,248
2012 modern 164 #21,883
2013 modern 177 #21,170
2014 modern 187 #20,570
2015 modern 181 #20,934
2016 modern 185 #20,652

Geography

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Where Ofosus 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 Lambeth, Croydon, Hammersmith and Fulham, Merton and Newham. 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 Lambeth 009 Lambeth
2 Croydon 004 Croydon
3 Hammersmith and Fulham 003 Hammersmith and Fulham
4 Merton 005 Merton
5 Newham 024 Newham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ofosu

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ofosu

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ofosu, 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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Ofosu surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Ofosu 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Ofosu is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ofosu 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

Ofosu 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 Ofosu 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 Ofosu, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Ofosu

The surname OFOSU originates from the Akan people of Ghana in West Africa. It is believed to have emerged during the 13th century when the Akan migrated to their present location from the ancient Ghana Empire.

OFOSU is derived from the Akan word 'ofosu' which means 'wanderer' or 'traveler'. It was likely given as a name to individuals or families who were known to travel frequently or had migrated from other regions.

Early records of the name OFOSU can be found in oral histories and traditions passed down by the Akan people. It is mentioned in some of the earliest written accounts of the Akan by European explorers and traders who visited the region in the 15th and 16th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name OFOSU appears in the 1695 memoir of an English trader, William Bosman, who documented his travels along the Gold Coast of West Africa. He mentions an Akan chief named Ofosu Amankwa who ruled over the town of Abora in the late 17th century.

Notable individuals with the surname OFOSU throughout history include Ofosu Amekudzi (c. 1670-1725), an influential Akan trader and diplomat who facilitated relations between the Akan and European merchants. There was also Ofosu Yaw (c. 1780-1850), a respected Akan chief and military leader who fought against the Ashanti Empire's expansion in the early 19th century.

In more recent times, Ofosu Appiah (1919-2004) was a prominent Ghanaian academic and writer who documented the history and culture of the Akan people. Ofosu Amenya (1930-2010) was a renowned Ghanaian artist and sculptor whose works depicted traditional Akan motifs and symbols.

Another notable figure was Ofosu Asamoah (1948-2021), a Ghanaian politician and lawyer who served as the Attorney General and Minister of Justice in the late 1990s.

While the surname OFOSU is most commonly found among the Akan people of Ghana, it has also spread to other parts of West Africa and the African diaspora through migration and cultural exchange.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Ofosu surname: questions and answers

How common is the Ofosu surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 185 in 2016. That gives Ofosu a modern rank of #20,652.

What does the Ofosu surname mean?

An Akan surname originating from Ghana that translates to "a humble man".

What does the Ofosu map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Ofosu 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.