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

Koya, 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 Koya surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Koya in America

Koya is the 76029th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Koya surname appeared 253 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 Koya.

We can also compare 2010 data for Koya 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 Koya

The surname KOYA has its origins in India, tracing back to the 15th century. It is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word "koya," meaning "mountain dweller" or "hill tribe." This suggests that the name was initially associated with communities residing in the hilly regions of the Indian subcontinent.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the KOYA surname can be found in the historical records of the Vijayanagar Empire, which ruled over parts of South India from the 14th to the 17th century. During this period, the KOYA name was prevalent among the indigenous tribes inhabiting the Eastern Ghats mountain range.

In the 16th century, the KOYA surname appears in several inscriptions and manuscripts from the Rayalaseema region of present-day Andhra Pradesh. These records document the presence of KOYA individuals as traders, artisans, and farmers within the local communities.

A notable figure bearing the KOYA name was Koya Ramalinga Nayudu (1856-1925), a prominent social reformer and educationist from the Madras Presidency. He played a significant role in establishing educational institutions and promoting literacy among the tribal communities of the region.

Another individual of historical significance was Koya Lakshmi Devi (1891-1978), a freedom fighter and social activist from Andhra Pradesh. She participated in the Indian independence movement and worked tirelessly for the upliftment of tribal and marginalized communities.

In the literary realm, Koya Narayana Rao (1920-1998) was a renowned Telugu writer and poet. His works, which explored the lives and struggles of tribal communities, earned him several prestigious awards and accolades.

The KOYA surname also finds mentions in ancient texts and chronicles from other parts of India, such as the Deccan Plateau and the Western Ghats, where communities bearing this name were known to reside.

Throughout history, the KOYA surname has been associated with various place names and locations, particularly in the hilly regions of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and neighboring states. Some of these place names include Koya Veedhi, Koya Konda, and Koya Palli, among others.

It is worth noting that while the KOYA surname has a strong presence in certain regions of India, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities, carrying with it the rich cultural heritage and historical significance of its origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Koya

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!