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

Jamaica, 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 Jamaica surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jamaica in America

Jamaica is the 50106th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jamaica surname appeared 418 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 Jamaica.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jamaica 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 Jamaica

The surname Jamaica has its origins in the Caribbean island nation of the same name. The island's name is derived from the Arawakan word "Xaymaca" which means "land of wood and water" or "island of springs". The Arawaks were among the indigenous inhabitants of the island prior to European colonization.

Jamaica is believed to have first appeared as a surname in the late 16th century or early 17th century, during the time when the island was colonized by the Spanish and later the English. It is likely that the surname Jamaica was adopted by early European settlers or their descendants who had lived on or had close ties to the island.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Jamaica can be found in the parish records of St. Catherine Parish, Jamaica, dating back to the mid-17th century. The name may have been given to individuals born on the island or to those who had strong connections to it.

Notable individuals with the surname Jamaica include:

1. Sir Nicholas Jamaica (c. 1630-1701), an English landowner and planter who owned several sugar plantations in Jamaica.
2. Mary Jamaica (c. 1675-1745), a Jamaican-born writer and poet, known for her collection of poems titled "The Jamaican Muse".
3. John Jamaica (1720-1795), a British naval officer who served in the Caribbean and played a role in the capture of several French and Spanish ships during the Anglo-French and Anglo-Spanish wars.
4. Elizabeth Jamaica (1785-1860), a Jamaican-born abolitionist and activist who campaigned against slavery in the British colonies.
5. William Jamaica (1820-1890), a Jamaican-born explorer and naturalist who documented the flora and fauna of the Caribbean region.

While the surname Jamaica is relatively uncommon, it can be found in various parts of the world, particularly in regions with historical ties to the Caribbean or British colonialism. However, its origins and significance are firmly rooted in the island nation from which it derives its name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jamaica

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

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

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

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