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

Jawara, 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 Jawara surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jawara in America

Jawara is the 62045th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jawara surname appeared 323 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 Jawara.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jawara 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 Jawara

The surname "JAWARA" originates from West Africa, particularly in the Mandinka ethnic group of The Gambia and Senegal. Its earliest known usage can be traced back to the late 15th century during the Mali Empire's expansion into the region.

"JAWARA" is derived from the Mandinka word "jawara," which translates to "wrestler" or "one who grapples." This connection suggests that the name may have initially been used to denote individuals who were skilled in the traditional West African wrestling sport, which held significant cultural importance.

Historical records indicate that the name "JAWARA" appeared in several ancient manuscripts and chronicles documenting the Mali Empire's conquest of the Gambian territories. One notable example is the "Tārīkh al-fattāsh" (Chronicle of the Seeker), written by the renowned Timbuktu scholar Mahmoud Kati in the early 17th century.

The earliest recorded bearer of the "JAWARA" surname was Sanjang Jawara, a prominent wrestler and military commander who served under the Malian ruler Sundiata Keita in the early 13th century. Sanjang Jawara played a crucial role in the Battle of Kirina, which solidified the Mali Empire's control over the region.

Another historical figure with the "JAWARA" surname was Mamadu Jawara, a respected Islamic scholar and diplomat who lived in the late 16th century. Mamadu Jawara was instrumental in facilitating trade and cultural exchanges between the Mali Empire and the Portuguese settlements along the West African coast.

In the 19th century, Mussa Jawara, a renowned Mandinka chief and military leader, gained prominence for his resistance against French colonial expansion in present-day Senegal. His exploits were documented in various European accounts of the time.

During the 20th century, several individuals bearing the "JAWARA" surname made significant contributions to the independence movements and post-colonial governance of The Gambia and Senegal. One notable figure was Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara, who served as the first Prime Minister and later President of The Gambia from 1962 to 1994.

Throughout its history, the surname "JAWARA" has been associated with various place names and older spellings, such as "Jawarah," "Jawarey," and "Jauaray," reflecting the linguistic diversity and regional variations within West Africa.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jawara

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

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

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

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