Explore the Family Name Fofanah

The meaning of Fofanah

West African (Sierra Leone): from a variant of the name of the Fofana clan of the Mandinka and, subsequently, Sierra Leonean Temne peoples.

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Fofanah has seen significant increases from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 94,227th in terms of surnames but rose to the rank of 49,914 by 2010, marking a positive change of 47.03%. The count of individuals carrying this surname also jumped from just 180 in 2000 up to 420 in 2010, indicating a sharp rise of 133.33%. Proportionally, per 100k people, the presence of the surname Fofanah increased by a full 100%.

20002010Change
Rank#94,227#49,91447.03%
Count180420133.33%
Proportion per 100k0.070.14100%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Fofanah

Analyzing the ethnic identity associated with the surname Fofanah using the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some key changes between 2000 and 2010. Individuals identifying as Black made up 89.44% of the Fofanahs in 2000, which increased to 95.24% in 2010, reflecting a growth of 6.48%. Those reporting their ethnicity as White or two or more races saw decreases of 31.65% and 62.00% respectively over the same period. No Fofanahs identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either years.

20002010Change
Black89.44%95.24%6.48%
Two or More Races5%1.9%-62%
White2.78%1.9%-31.65%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
Hispanic2.78%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%