Find out how popular the last name Abraha is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Abraha.

Abraha, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Abraha surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Abraha in America

Abraha is the 26471st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Abraha surname appeared 922 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Abraha.

We can also compare 2010 data for Abraha to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Abraha

The surname ABRAHA originated from Ethiopia during the early medieval period. It is derived from the Semitic root "brh" which means "to be bright" or "to shine." The name was initially associated with individuals who possessed radiant qualities or a luminous appearance.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name ABRAHA can be found in the ancient inscription known as the "Inscription of Abraha" dated to the 6th century AD. This inscription, carved in stone, details the military campaign of an Aksumite king named Abraha against the Kingdom of Saba in Yemen.

The name ABRAHA gained significant historical prominence during the reign of Abraha Al-Ashram, the Ethiopian viceroy of Yemen in the 6th century AD. He is renowned for his ambitious attempt to construct a magnificent cathedral in Sana'a, Yemen, to rival the Kaaba in Mecca, which prompted the famous expedition of the "Year of the Elephant" mentioned in the Quran.

Among notable individuals with the surname ABRAHA throughout history is Abraha Atsbeha (1915-1998), an Eritrean politician and military leader who served as the first head of state of Eritrea from 1993 to 1994. Another prominent figure is Abraha Deboch (1890-1960), an Ethiopian nobleman and military commander who played a crucial role in the Second Italo-Ethiopian War.

In the realm of literature, Abraha Debbebe (1913-1995) was an acclaimed Ethiopian poet and writer, known for his contributions to the Amharic literary canon. His poetic works explored themes of national identity, culture, and social commentary.

The surname ABRAHA also has a notable presence in the academic world, with individuals such as Abraha Belai (born 1942), an Ethiopian historian and scholar of Eritrean descent, who has written extensively on the history and culture of the Horn of Africa region.

While the name ABRAHA has its roots in ancient Ethiopia, it has spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchanges. However, the earliest recorded instances and historical figures associated with this surname remain rooted in the rich history and traditions of the Horn of Africa.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Abraha

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Abraha.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Abraha was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Abraha has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Abraha was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Abraha, please contact us.

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