OBAMA - Last Name Meaning and Origin

Obama is an ancient Kenyan surname, found most frequently among the Luo, the third largest ethnic group in Kenya. The surname is believed to be patronymic in origin, meaning "descendant of Obama." The given name Obama, in turn, derived from the root word obam, meaning “to lean or bend.” 

Traditional African given names often reflect the circumstances at the time of the birth. Thus, the given name Obama may mean a child born "bent," such as with a crooked spine or limbs, or possibly refers to a breech birth.

Obama is also a Japanese word meaning "little beach."

Surname Origin: African

Surname Variations: OBAM, OBAMMA, OOBAMA, O'BAMA, AOBAMA, 

Where do People with the Surname Obama Live?

WorldNames publicprofiler indicates that individuals with the Obama last name are found in greatest numbers in the country of Japan, especially in the Okinawa and Kyushu regions. However, this site does not include data from Africa. Forebears.co.uk shows the highest distribution of the Obama surname to be in Cameroon, with the highest density in Equatorial Guinea, where it is the 10th most common surname. The name is next most common in Kenya, followed by Spain and France.

Famous People with the Surname Obama

Barack Hussein Obama - 44th president of the United States

Genealogy Resources for the Surname Obama

Ancestry of Barack Obama
Learn about the deep African and American roots of Barack Obama. His African roots stretch back for generations in Kenya, while his American roots connect to Jefferson Davis.

FamilySearch - OBAMA Genealogy
Access over 35,000 million free historical records and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Obama surname and its variations on this free genealogy website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

RootsWeb Mailing List: Obama Surname
Join, search or browse this free mailing list devoted to the "discussion and sharing of information regarding the Obama surname and variations."

DistantCousin.com - OBAMA Genealogy & Family History
Explore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Obama.

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References: Surname Meanings & Origins

Cottle, Basil. "Penguin Dictionary of Surnames." Baltimore: Penguin Books, 1967.

Menk, Lars. "A Dictionary of German Jewish Surnames." Bergenfield, NJ: Avotaynu, 2005.

Beider, Alexander. "A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from Galicia." Bergenfield, NJ: Avotaynu, 2004.

Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges. "A Dictionary of Surnames." New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.

Hanks, Patrick. "Dictionary of American Family Names." New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.

Hoffman, William F. "Polish Surnames: Origins and Meanings." Chicago: Polish Genealogical Society, 1993.

Rymut, Kazimierz. "Nazwiska Polakow." Wroclaw: Zaklad Narodowy im. Ossolinskich - Wydawnictwo, 1991.

Smith, Elsdon C. "American Surnames." Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

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