Surname Mawor - Meaning and Origin
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Mawor: What does the surname Mawor mean?
The last name Mawor is a traditionally African surname, often found in West and Central Africa. It is thought to be derived from the Yoruba people of Nigeria, and may have originally indicated a group of people living in or near a well. The Yoruba word Mawor means “a place of welcome”.
In modern times, the last name Mawor can be found among people of various African ethnic backgrounds,typically Lagos State, Nigeria. This suggests that those with the surname are likely descendants of a common ancestor, since the Yoruba language is also spoken in other parts of West Africa, including Togo, Benin, and Ghana.
In many African societies, surnames are used to identify familial relations within communities. As such, Mawor holds a great deal of cultural and historical meaning, since it speaks to a specific ancestral identity. It is also associated with positive attributes such as hospitality and welcome. In countries like Nigeria, where many communities are traditionally bound together through close relationships, the Mawor surname may carry significance as a symbol of familial unity.
Furthermore, as global migration continues, the Mawor surname is becoming recognized in other countries, as well. Individuals of African descent living across the world are now able to trace their heritage to a common African ancestor. Mawor is often seen as a reminder of this shared lineage, and a reminder of the many positive values associated with African cultures.
Order DNA origin analysisMawor: Where does the name Mawor come from?
The last name Mawor is not particularly common today. Mawor originated as a surname in Ghana, which is a country in West Africa. The Mawor family is believed to be descended from a chief ancestor known as Mani Mawor, who is believed to have lived in Ghana in the 16th century. Over the centuries, the name has spread to other regions of Africa, as well as to the United States and other parts of the world.
There are no hard statistics on the current distribution of the Mawor surname, but it is believed to be found mostly in Ghana today, where it was originally adopted. Small numbers of the family's descendants can be found in other African countries, particularly in neighboring Ivory Coast and Togo. There is also a small population in the United States, primarily among people of African descent who have immigrated to the U.S. from Ghana, Ivory Coast and Togo.
The fact that the Mawor name is not widely distributed today is due to the fact that many Ghanaians have adopted the surname of their respective fathers or grandfathers since the adoption of the surnames system in Ghana in the 1960s. Most Ghanaians today thus have a family name that is associated with their own family. Those who take the Mawor name today are doing so out of loyalty to their original family lineage.
Variations of the surname Mawor
The surname Mawor is a variant of Mauer, with the latter being the more common spelling. Mauer is an occupational surname with German roots, and derived from the Middle High German ‘mawer’, meaning ‘wall-builder’. It is also a regional name from the Upper Franconian region of Bavaria, where Mauer is a common place name.
Those with the surname may also bear variants such as Maurer, Maur, Moer, Mau, Maurr, Mauro, Mauler, Maurer, and Maurar. The surname is quite common in German-speaking countries such as Austria and Hungary.
In the United States, variations of the surname in the 19th century were listed as Maurer, Moar, Moer, Mowrer, and Mawor. In addition, the surname is found in other countries such as England, Canada, France, South Africa, and Australia.
Mauer is also an Ashkenazic Jewish surname, and is sometimes seen as Meir, Meyr, Mayer, Meier, or Mejer.
Finally, there are derivatives of the surname which have anglicized spellings such as Major, Mayor, May, Moyer, Moor, Moore, or More.
Famous people with the name Mawor
- Kofi Mawutor: A Ghanaian journalist and academic, Kofi Mawutor is a former director of the Institute of African Studies at the University of Ghana and is currently a visiting professor at Harvard University.
- Marina Mawutor: An international Ghanaian beauty queen, Marina Mawutor held the titles of Miss Ghana USA 2017 and Miss Globe Beauty 2017.
- Kennedy Mawutor: A Ghanaian-born entrepreneur, Kennedy Mawutor is the founder and CEO of Accra-based technology company VM Networks.
- Edem Mawutor: A prominent cast member in the Ghanaian drama series Zealous, Edem Mawutor is an actress, model, and vocal artist.
- De-Mawor Nutotey: A famous Ghanaian-born US-based entrepreneur, De-Mawor Nutotey is the co-founder of popular wedding blog All You Need Is Love and the founder of the social justice-focused Good Intentions Foundation.
- Jannah Mawutor: A Ghanaian star of hit movie Okonkwo, Jannah Mawutor is a singer-songwriter and actress.
- Nurudeen Mawutor: A Ghanaian-born international fantasy and adventure writer, Nurudeen Mawutor is the author of Nigeria's Prince Warriors and the War Against Tyranny.
- Mawutor Borkor: A renowned journalist with over 25 years of experience in the media industry, Mawutor Borkor is the host of TV3's Morning Show.
- Rustin Mawutor: A Ghanaian-born fashion designer, Rustin Mawutor is the founder of the popular fashion label Rmzan.