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

Jama, 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 Jama surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jama in America

Jama is the 10951st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jama surname appeared 2,907 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Jama.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jama 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 Jama

The surname JAMA has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the northern regions of the country. It is believed to have originated during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "Jama," which means "twin" or "pair."

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname JAMA can be found in ancient Hindu texts and manuscripts from the region. The name is often associated with the warrior class or the Kshatriya caste in India. It is possible that the name was initially given to twins born into this caste, or to individuals who had a twin sibling.

In the 16th century, records from the Mughal Empire indicate the presence of individuals bearing the surname JAMA, particularly in the northern states of India. During this time, the name was also adopted by Muslim families, potentially due to intermarriages or cultural assimilation.

One notable individual with the surname JAMA was Mir Jama, a influential poet and scholar who lived in the 17th century. His works were widely celebrated and contributed to the rich literary tradition of the region.

Another prominent figure was Jama Khan, a military commander who served under the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in the late 17th century. He was known for his bravery and strategic skills on the battlefield.

Moving forward to the 19th century, Sir Jama Nath Mookerjee was a distinguished Indian lawyer and politician who played a significant role in the Indian independence movement. He was born in 1847 and served as the president of the Indian National Congress in 1899.

In more recent times, Mushtaq Ahmed Jama was a Somali politician and diplomat who served as the Prime Minister of Somalia from 1967 to 1969. He was born in 1922 and played a crucial role in the political landscape of his country.

Another noteworthy individual with the surname JAMA was Umma Kulthum Jama, a renowned Somali singer and songwriter who was born in 1958. Her music celebrated Somali culture and tradition, and she gained widespread recognition both within Somalia and internationally.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jama

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

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

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

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