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

Kenyatta, 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 Kenyatta surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kenyatta in America

Kenyatta is the 91221st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kenyatta surname appeared 202 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 Kenyatta.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kenyatta 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 Kenyatta

The surname Kenyatta has its origins in Kenya, a country located in East Africa. It is derived from the Kikuyu language, which is spoken by the Kikuyu people, one of the largest ethnic groups in Kenya. The name Kenyatta is believed to have its roots in the Kikuyu word "Muigai," which means "one who has been circumcised."

Historically, the name Kenyatta gained prominence in the early 20th century, when it was adopted by Jomo Kenyatta, a Kenyan political leader and the first Prime Minister and President of independent Kenya. Jomo Kenyatta, born Kamau wa Ngengi in 1891, played a pivotal role in the struggle for Kenya's independence from British colonial rule. He was a prominent figure in the Kenyan African National Union (KANU) and the Mau Mau uprising.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Kenyatta can be found in the writings of British colonial officials during the Mau Mau uprising in the 1950s. These records often referred to Jomo Kenyatta as the leader of the Mau Mau movement, and his surname became closely associated with the struggle for Kenyan independence.

In addition to Jomo Kenyatta, other notable individuals who have carried the surname Kenyatta include his son, Uhuru Kenyatta, who served as the fourth President of Kenya from 2013 to 2022. Mama Ngina Kenyatta, the first wife of Jomo Kenyatta, was also a prominent figure in Kenyan politics and was known for her involvement in various social and cultural initiatives.

Another individual with the surname Kenyatta was Wahu Kenyatta, a Kenyan musician and actress who rose to prominence in the late 1990s and early 2000s. She was known for her contribution to the Kenyan music scene and her advocacy for various social causes.

It is important to note that while the surname Kenyatta has gained widespread recognition due to its association with prominent political figures, it is also a common surname among the Kikuyu people in Kenya, reflecting their cultural and linguistic heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kenyatta

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

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

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

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