Explore the Family Name Essien

The meaning of Essien

1. West African (Nigeria): from a personal name found among the Ibibio and Efik peoples, denoting the son the family lineage depends on. 2. West African (Ghana): from a Fante personal name denoting a sixth-born child.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Essien in the United States?

Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Essien has grown in popularity over the years. In 2000, it was ranked 50,686th most common but by 2010, it climbed to 35,812th, a significant 29.35% increase. The count of people bearing the surname also saw a marked rise from 387 in 2000 to 627 in 2010, representing a 62.02% growth. Additionally, the proportion of people with the Essien name per 100,000 inhabitants increased by 50% over this period.

20002010Change
Rank#50,686#35,81229.35%
Count38762762.02%
Proportion per 100k0.140.2150%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Essien

In terms of ethnicity, analysis of the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that the majority of individuals with the Essien surname identify as Black, accounting for 92.25% in 2000 and slightly increasing to 92.66% in 2010. A small percentage identified as being of two or more races, although this decreased from 5.43% in 2000 to 3.19% in 2010. Over the decade, there were also new instances of the Essien surname appearing within the White and Hispanic communities, while the Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native communities remained at zero.

20002010Change
Black92.25%92.66%0.44%
Two or More Races5.43%3.19%-41.25%
White0%2.71%0%
Hispanic0%1.28%0%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%