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

Iwema, 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 Iwema surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Iwema in America

Iwema is the 126018th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Iwema surname appeared 136 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 Iwema.

We can also compare 2010 data for Iwema 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 Iwema

The surname IWEMA has its origins in the Netherlands. It is believed to have emerged around the 16th century, initially appearing in records from the province of Friesland. The name is thought to be derived from the Old Frisian word "iwe," meaning "yew tree," and the suffix "-ma," which was a common patronymic ending used to indicate familial lineage or ancestry.

Historical references to the name IWEMA can be traced back to the early 17th century. One of the earliest recorded instances is found in the baptismal records of the Dutch Reformed Church in Leeuwarden, Friesland, where a child named Auke Iwema was baptized in 1612. Additionally, the name appears in the municipal archives of the city of Groningen, mentioning an individual named Hessel Iwema in a legal document dated 1638.

In the late 17th century, the IWEMA surname gained prominence with the birth of Pieter Iwema (1660-1728), a renowned Dutch Golden Age painter known for his landscape and still-life works. His paintings can be found in various museums across the Netherlands and Europe.

Another notable figure bearing the IWEMA name was Gerrit Iwema (1785-1857), a Dutch naval officer and explorer. He served in the Dutch East Indies and is credited with charting several previously unmapped islands in the Indonesian archipelago.

Moving into the 19th century, the name gained further recognition with the birth of Jacobus Iwema (1818-1892), a prominent Dutch theologian and professor at the University of Groningen. His published works on Christian theology and philosophy were widely influential during his time.

In the early 20th century, the IWEMA surname was carried by Dirk Iwema (1902-1978), a Dutch politician and member of the House of Representatives in the Netherlands. He was known for his advocacy of social welfare policies and played a significant role in shaping post-war Dutch politics.

Throughout its history, the IWEMA surname has also been associated with various place names and older spellings. For instance, the village of Iwoema in the municipality of Achtkarspelen, Friesland, is believed to have derived its name from the IWEMA family who resided there in the past. Additionally, some historical records show variations in spelling, such as "Ywema" or "Yuwema," reflecting the evolution of the name over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Iwema

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

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

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

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