Aja
A Yoruba name meaning "born face down" or "one who is born with the face downwards."
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 583 Americans carry the last name Aja. That puts it at #44,109 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.17 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 587,915 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Aja surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
583
1 in 587,915
Census rank
#44,109
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
488
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 488 bearers of the surname Aja in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.17 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 44109th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Aja, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 55.9%. The next largest groups are White (34.4%) and Black (5.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Aja
The surname Aja is of Spanish origin, derived from the Arabic word "al-aja," which means "the valley" or "the riverbed." This name can be traced back to the 8th century AD when the Moors conquered parts of the Iberian Peninsula, including present-day Spain and Portugal.
The earliest known record of the surname Aja appears in the Cartulario de San Vicente de Oviedo, a medieval manuscript dating back to the 9th century. This document mentions a nobleman named Gonzalo Aja who owned lands in the region of Asturias, in northern Spain.
During the Reconquista, the period when Christian kingdoms gradually regained control of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors, the surname Aja spread to other parts of Spain. In the 12th century, there are records of a knight named Rodrigo Aja who fought alongside King Alfonso VIII of Castile in the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa.
In the 16th century, the surname Aja was also found in the Americas, as Spanish conquistadors and settlers brought their names to the New World. One of the earliest recorded examples is Juan de Aja, a soldier who participated in the conquest of Mexico under Hernán Cortés in the 1520s.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname Aja. One of the most famous was Pedro Aja y Riquer, a Spanish painter and engraver who lived in the 18th century (1676-1738). He is known for his works depicting religious and historical scenes.
Another prominent figure was José Aja Ésquivel, a Mexican writer and journalist from the 19th century (1834-1886). He was a staunch defender of liberal and republican ideals and played an important role in the Reform War in Mexico.
In the 20th century, one of the most notable individuals with the surname Aja was the American musician and composer Steely Dan, whose real name was Walter Aja (1949-2020). He was renowned for his distinctive jazz-rock style and was a key member of the renowned band.
Other notable individuals with the surname Aja include Fernando Aja Díaz, a Spanish politician who served as the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food from 2004 to 2008, and Lidia Aja, a Cuban-American artist known for her abstract expressionist paintings.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Aja
Among Census respondents with the surname Aja, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 55.9%. The next largest groups are White (34.4%) and Black (5.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Aja bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Aja surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino55.9%
- White34.4%
- Black or African American5.9%
- Two or more races1.6%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Aja surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #44,109 | #44,109 | 0.0% |
| Count | 488 | 488 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.17 | 0.17 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Aja bearers went from 488 to 488 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #44,109 to #44,109.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Aja
FAQ
Aja surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Aja?
The surname Aja holds position #44,109 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 583 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.17 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Aja surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Aja, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 55.9%. The next largest groups are White (34.4%) and Black (5.9%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.