NameCensus.

UK surname

Okonkwo

A surname of Igbo origin meaning "male born on Nkwo market day".

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Okonkwo is 431 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

431

2016, ranked #11,170

Peak year

2016

431 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 431 in 2016, ranked #11,170.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Okonkwo surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Okonkwo surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Okonkwo 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 136 #22,398
1998 modern 156 #21,144
1999 modern 193 #18,642
2000 modern 191 #18,752
2001 modern 189 #18,590
2002 modern 222 #17,147
2003 modern 238 #16,144
2004 modern 262 #15,233
2005 modern 297 #13,916
2006 modern 316 #13,402
2007 modern 318 #13,503
2008 modern 328 #13,319
2009 modern 366 #12,534
2010 modern 400 #11,992
2011 modern 377 #12,392
2012 modern 387 #12,015
2013 modern 416 #11,575
2014 modern 417 #11,632
2015 modern 417 #11,532
2016 modern 431 #11,170

Geography

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Where Okonkwos 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 Lewisham, Havering, Lambeth and Barnet. 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 Lewisham 003 Lewisham
2 Havering 028 Havering
3 Lambeth 002 Lambeth
4 Barnet 028 Barnet
5 Barnet 014 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Okonkwo

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Okonkwo

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

Okonkwo 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

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

Meaning and origin of Okonkwo

The surname Okonkwo originates from the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria. The name likely emerged sometime in the late medieval period, around the 15th or 16th century, when surnames became more widespread in that region.

The name Okonkwo is thought to derive from the Igbo words "oko" meaning "farm" or "farmer" and "nkwo" meaning "born on nkwo day" or "born on the market day." Thus, the name may have initially referred to someone born on the day of the local market or someone involved in agriculture.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the Okonkwo name appears in the 1958 novel "Things Fall Apart" by the renowned Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. The protagonist, Okonkwo, is a respected leader in his Igbo village. This literary work brought significant attention to the Okonkwo name and Igbo culture.

In the 18th century, an Okonkwo was mentioned in the journals of a British explorer, though details are scarce. Records from the early 20th century indicate an Okonkwo family residing in the town of Ogidi, located in present-day Anambra State.

Notable individuals with the surname Okonkwo include Buchi Okonkwo, a Nigerian poet and academic born in 1935. Another is Kanayo Okonkwo, a Nigerian actor born in 1974, known for his roles in various Nollywood films.

Chike Okonkwo, a Nigerian-American businessman and philanthropist, founded the Nigeria HIV/AIDS Philanthropic Trust in the early 2000s. Uche Okonkwo, born in 1987, is a Nigerian-American fashion designer who launched her eponymous label in 2012.

Nkem Okonkwo, born in 1949, is a Nigerian author and academic who has written extensively on African literature and culture. Her works shed light on the historical and cultural significance of the Okonkwo name and its Igbo origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Okonkwo surname: questions and answers

How common is the Okonkwo surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 431 in 2016. That gives Okonkwo a modern rank of #11,170.

What does the Okonkwo surname mean?

A surname of Igbo origin meaning "male born on Nkwo market day".

What does the Okonkwo map show?

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