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

Gjoka, 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 Gjoka surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gjoka in America

Gjoka is the 77788th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gjoka surname appeared 246 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 Gjoka.

The history of the last name Gjoka

The surname GJOKA originates from Albania, with its roots dating back to the 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Albanian word "gjok," which translates to "branch" or "twig," possibly indicating a connection to a particular family or clan with roots in the mountainous regions of the country.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the GJOKA surname can be found in a medieval manuscript from the city of Kruja, which was a stronghold of the Albanian resistance against the Ottoman Empire. This document, dated around 1450, mentions a prominent figure named Gjergj GJOKA, who played a role in the defense of the city.

In the 16th century, the GJOKA name appears in several historical records related to the Albanian diaspora in Italy. During this period, many Albanians sought refuge in southern Italy, particularly in the regions of Calabria and Sicily, fleeing the Ottoman conquest of their homeland. Notable individuals from this time include Nikoll GJOKA (1520-1592), a merchant and community leader in the city of Palermo.

As the centuries progressed, the GJOKA surname continued to spread across various regions of Albania and among Albanian communities abroad. One prominent figure was Thanas GJOKA (1768-1843), a renowned Albanian writer and scholar who played a crucial role in preserving and promoting the Albanian language and culture during the Ottoman rule.

In the 19th century, the GJOKA name gained further recognition with the birth of Ismail Qemal GJOKA (1844-1919), a respected Albanian politician and diplomat who played a significant role in the country's struggle for independence from the Ottoman Empire.

Another notable individual was Milica GJOKA (1892-1968), a renowned Albanian writer and feminist activist who fought for women's rights and education in the early 20th century.

Throughout history, the GJOKA surname has been associated with various professions and achievements, from scholars and writers to politicians and community leaders. Despite its Albanian roots, the name has also found its way into other parts of the world, carried by the Albanian diaspora and their descendants.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gjoka

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

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 Gjoka 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.

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!