Find out how popular the last name Java is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Java.
An Indonesian surname referring to origin from the island of Java.
Java, 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 Java surname is from the 2010 census data.
Java is the 73005th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Java surname appeared 266 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 Java.
We can also compare 2010 data for Java 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.
| 2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | 73005 | 76946 | -5.26% |
| Count | 266 | 232 | 13.65% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.09 | 0.09 | 0.00% |
The surname JAVA is believed to have originated in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the region of Java, which is now part of modern-day Indonesia. The name likely dates back to the 15th or 16th century when trade and cultural exchanges between the East and West were becoming more frequent.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name JAVA can be found in the accounts of Portuguese traders and explorers who visited the island of Java during the 16th century. These accounts often referred to the island as "Jaua" or "Jaua Grande," which may have been the precursor to the modern spelling of the surname.
In the late 16th century, a Dutch explorer named Cornelis de Houtman visited Java and documented the name in his writings, further solidifying its connection to the island. During this time, the Dutch East India Company established trade routes and settlements in the region, which likely facilitated the spread of the surname to other parts of the world.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname JAVA was a Dutch merchant named Jan JAVA, who lived in the 17th century and was involved in the spice trade between Java and the Netherlands. Another notable figure was Pieter JAVA, a Dutch naval officer who served in the East Indies during the late 17th century.
In the 18th century, the name JAVA appeared in various records and documents relating to the Dutch East Indies Company and its activities in the region. One example is Hendrik JAVA, a Dutch colonial administrator who served as the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies from 1761 to 1775.
As the Dutch colonial presence in Java grew, the surname became more widespread among those with connections to the island, whether through trade, military service, or colonial administration. This led to the emergence of families with the JAVA surname in various parts of the world, particularly in the Netherlands and its territories.
Another notable figure with the JAVA surname was Sir Thomas JAVA (1789-1868), a British naval officer who played a significant role in the Napoleonic Wars and was later appointed as the Governor of the British colony of Mauritius.
Throughout its history, the surname JAVA has been associated with various spellings and variations, such as JAWA, JAVAN, and JAVANEN, reflecting the linguistic influences of the regions where it was used. However, the core meaning and connection to the island of Java have remained consistent.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Java.
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:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Java was:
| Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic White Only | 56.77% | 151 |
| Non-Hispanic Black Only | (S)% | (S) |
| Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | 28.57% | 76 |
| Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S) |
| Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | 2.26% | 6 |
| Hispanic Origin | 11.28% | 30 |
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 Java has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
| 2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 56.77% | 64.66% | -13.00% |
| Black | (S)% | 2.16% | (S)% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 28.57% | 20.26% | 34.04% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
| Two or More Races | 2.26% | (S)% | (S)% |
| Hispanic | 11.28% | 10.78% | 4.53% |
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 Java was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Java, please contact us.
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