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

Asa, 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 Asa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Asa in America

Asa is the 42640th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Asa surname appeared 508 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 Asa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Asa 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 Asa

The surname "Asa" is believed to have originated in India, where it was derived from the Sanskrit word "asah," meaning "hope" or "aspiration." The name first emerged during the ancient Vedic period, which spanned from around 1500 BCE to 500 BCE.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hindu epic, the Mahabharata, where it appears as the name of a minor character. The name also has significance in the Hindu faith, as it is associated with one of the divine horses that pulls the chariot of the sun god, Surya.

As the name spread throughout the Indian subcontinent, it underwent various spelling variations, including "Aasa," "Aasha," and "Aasaa." These variations likely emerged due to regional linguistic differences and the influence of other languages, such as Persian and Arabic.

In the 11th century, the name made its way to Europe through trade routes and cultural exchanges between the East and West. One of the earliest recorded Europeans with the surname Asa was a merchant named Asa de Genova, who lived in the Italian city of Genoa during the 12th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name appeared in various historical documents, including the Domesday Book of 1086, which recorded the name Asa de Bello Campo, a Norman landowner in England. Another notable figure from this period was Asa of Hertogenbosch, a Dutch theologian and philosopher who lived from 1324 to 1388.

As the name spread across Europe, it took on different spellings and variations, such as "Asah" in Germany and "Asas" in Spain. One of the most famous individuals with the surname Asa was the Dutch painter Jan Asa (1615-1686), known for his still-life paintings and portraits.

In the 19th century, the name gained prominence in Scandinavia, particularly in Sweden, where it was often spelled "Åsa." One notable Swedish figure with this surname was Åsa Noring (1946-2021), a renowned author and journalist.

Other notable individuals with the surname Asa include the American baseball player Bill Asa (1905-1987), the Japanese author Asa Nonami (1925-2010), and the Nigerian politician Asa Ekiye (1949-2019).

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Asa

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

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 Asa 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 Asa 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 Asa was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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