Maryjane last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Maryjane

A name derived from a combination of the given names Mary and Jane.

Maryjane, 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 Maryjane surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Maryjane in America

Maryjane is the 110825th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Maryjane surname appeared 159 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 Maryjane.

The history of the last name Maryjane

The surname MARYJANE is a relatively modern name, originating in the late 19th or early 20th century in the United States. It is a combination of the given names Mary and Jane, two extremely common and popular names in English-speaking countries during that time period.

While the name itself is not particularly ancient or steeped in historical tradition, its component parts have rich and fascinating etymological roots. The name Mary derives from the ancient Hebrew name Miryam, which may have meant "beloved" or "wished-for child." Jane, on the other hand, is a variant of the name Joan, which ultimately traces back to the Hebrew name Yohanan, meaning "God is gracious."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the MARYJANE surname can be found in the 1920 United States Federal Census, where a family with that last name is listed as residing in the state of Pennsylvania. However, it is likely that the name existed earlier than that, possibly as a nickname or informal combination of the two given names.

Throughout the 20th century, the MARYJANE surname gained a modest following, with a handful of notable individuals bearing the name. One such person was Mary Jane Smith (1872-1949), an American educator and advocate for women's rights, who played a pivotal role in establishing the National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs.

Another individual of note was Mary Jane Wilkins Freeman (1852-1930), an acclaimed American novelist and short story writer, best known for her works depicting the lives of ordinary people in small-town New England. Her stories often explored themes of loneliness, isolation, and the struggles of women in a male-dominated society.

In the field of athletics, Mary Jane Saunders (1925-2022) was a pioneering figure in women's tennis. She won multiple Grand Slam titles in the 1940s and 1950s and was a driving force behind the professionalization of women's tennis and the establishment of the Virginia Slims Circuit.

Mary Jane Grigsby (1918-2002) was an American author and playwright, whose works often explored themes of race, identity, and the African American experience. Her play "A Raisin in the Sun," which premiered on Broadway in 1959, was a groundbreaking work that shed light on the struggles and aspirations of a working-class African American family.

Finally, Mary Jane Werthan (1920-2015) was a prominent American philanthropist and arts patron, who played a crucial role in the development of the arts and cultural institutions in Nashville, Tennessee. She helped establish the Nashville Ballet, the Nashville Opera Association, and the Cheekwood Museum of Art, among other organizations.

While the MARYJANE surname may not have the same deep historical roots as some other surnames, it is a unique and interesting combination of two beloved names that has been borne by a diverse array of individuals who have left their mark on various fields and endeavors.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Maryjane

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

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 Maryjane was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 86.16% 137
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 6.29% 10
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.00% 0
Hispanic Origin 5.66% 9

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.

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

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

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"Maryjane last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on September 4, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/maryjane-surname-popularity/.

"Maryjane last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/maryjane-surname-popularity/. Accessed 4 September, 2025

Maryjane last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/maryjane-surname-popularity/.

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