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

Muigai, 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 Muigai surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Muigai in America

Muigai is the 143149th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Muigai surname appeared 116 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 Muigai.

The history of the last name Muigai

The surname "MUIGAI" originates from Kenya, a country located in East Africa. It is a name that has its roots in the Kikuyu tribe, one of the largest ethnic groups in the region. The name is believed to have emerged in the 16th century, during the time when the Kikuyu people were establishing their settlements in the fertile highlands of central Kenya.

The word "MUIGAI" is derived from the Kikuyu language, and its literal meaning is "one who comes from the Igai region." This suggests that the name was initially used to identify individuals or families who hailed from a specific geographic area known as Igai. The Igai region is located in the present-day Nyeri County, which was traditionally inhabited by the Kikuyu people.

While there are no known historical records or manuscripts that specifically mention the surname "MUIGAI" from ancient times, it is likely that the name has been in use for several centuries within the Kikuyu community. The earliest recorded examples of individuals bearing this surname can be traced back to the late 19th century, when the British colonial administration began keeping records of the local population.

One of the earliest notable figures with the surname "MUIGAI" was Jomo Kenyatta (1889-1978), the first President of Kenya and a prominent leader in the country's struggle for independence. Kenyatta, whose birth name was Kamau Muigai, played a pivotal role in the Kenyan independence movement and served as the nation's leader from 1964 until his death in 1978.

Another individual of historical significance with the surname "MUIGAI" was Dr. Gikonyo Muigai (1926-2003), a renowned Kenyan politician and scholar. He was a prominent figure in the country's political landscape and served as the Vice-President of Kenya from 1975 to 1978.

In the field of law, Justice Nzamba Muigai (1937-2012) was a prominent figure who served as a judge in the High Court of Kenya and later as the Chief Justice of the country from 1999 to 2003. He played a crucial role in upholding the rule of law and protecting the independence of the judiciary.

Additionally, Dr. Njoroge Muigai (1923-2008) was a respected Kenyan medical practitioner and educator who made significant contributions to the field of public health. He served as the Director of the Kenya Medical Training College and played a vital role in training numerous healthcare professionals.

Another notable individual with the surname "MUIGAI" is Professor Kivutha Muigai (born 1946), a renowned Kenyan academic and diplomat. He has held various influential positions, including that of the Attorney General of Kenya from 2011 to 2018, and has made significant contributions to the field of international law.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Muigai

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

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 Muigai 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.

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

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

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