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

Maraj, 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 Maraj surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Maraj in America

Maraj is the 29986th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Maraj surname appeared 783 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 Maraj.

We can also compare 2010 data for Maraj 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 Maraj

The surname Maraj originates from India and has its roots in the Sanskrit language. It is believed to have derived from the word "Mara," which means "deadly" or "destructive." The name was initially associated with warriors or soldiers who displayed exceptional bravery and skill in battle.

Historically, the Maraj surname was prevalent among the Maratha community, a group of castes found predominantly in the western and central regions of India, including the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Goa. The Marathas played a crucial role in the establishment of the Maratha Empire, which ruled over a significant portion of the Indian subcontinent during the 17th and 18th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Maraj surname can be traced back to the 16th century, when it appeared in various historical documents and records related to the Maratha Empire. During this period, the name was often associated with individuals who held positions of power and authority within the military ranks.

In the 18th century, a notable figure bearing the Maraj surname was Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath Maraj, who served as the prime minister of the Maratha Empire from 1720 to 1761. His contributions to the expansion and governance of the empire solidified the Maraj name as a prominent one among the Maratha nobility.

Another renowned individual with the Maraj surname was Sardar Ranajit Singh Maraj, a skilled military commander who played a pivotal role in the Maratha conquest of the Punjab region in the late 18th century. His exploits earned him a reputation as a fearless warrior and a respected leader.

During the 19th century, the Maraj surname gained further prominence with the birth of Bal Gangadhar Maraj Tilak (1856-1920), a prominent Indian nationalist, scholar, and social reformer. Tilak's unwavering commitment to the Indian independence movement and his efforts to revive Indian cultural traditions earned him the title "Father of the Indian Unrest."

In more recent times, the Maraj surname has been carried by notable figures such as Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, better known as Nicki Minaj, a globally renowned rapper, singer, and songwriter who has achieved immense success in the music industry.

While the Maraj surname has its roots in India, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. However, its origins can be traced back to the ancient Sanskrit language and the warrior traditions of the Maratha community.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Maraj

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

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

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

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