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

Naiman, 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 Naiman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Naiman in America

Naiman is the 38801st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Naiman surname appeared 569 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 Naiman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Naiman 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 Naiman

The surname NAIMAN is of Turkic origin, traced back to the nomadic Turkic tribes that roamed the vast steppes of Central Asia in ancient times. The name is believed to have its roots in the Naiman confederation, a powerful tribal union that dominated the regions of present-day Mongolia and parts of northern China during the 9th to 13th centuries.

The Naiman people were known for their skilled horsemanship and prowess in warfare. They played a significant role in the political and military landscape of the region, often clashing with other prominent nomadic groups like the Keraites and the Mongols. The name NAIMAN likely originated as an identifier for individuals belonging to this influential confederation.

Historical records mention the Naiman tribe as early as the 9th century, with references found in Chinese chronicles and the writings of Persian historians. One notable example is the "Secret History of the Mongols," a 13th-century literary work that recounts the rise of Genghis Khan and his conflicts with the Naiman people.

The earliest known individuals bearing the surname NAIMAN date back to the 12th and 13th centuries. One prominent figure was Qutuqtu Naiman, a powerful military commander who led the Naiman forces against the Mongol armies of Genghis Khan. Another notable figure was Taibuqa Naiman, a Naiman prince who briefly ruled over parts of modern-day Kazakhstan in the early 13th century.

As the Mongol Empire expanded under Genghis Khan and his successors, the Naiman people were gradually absorbed into the larger Mongol population. However, their name persisted as a surname, carried by descendants and scattered across the vast territories conquered by the Mongols.

Other notable individuals bearing the NAIMAN surname include:

1. Mahmud Naiman (b. 1185 - d. 1245), a prominent Naiman military leader and advisor to the Khwarazmian ruler Jalal ad-Din Mingburnu.
2. Baidar Naiman (b. 1210 - d. 1270), a Naiman nobleman who served as a trusted advisor to Kublai Khan, the founder of the Yuan Dynasty in China.
3. Arghun Naiman (b. 1258 - d. 1291), a Naiman prince who became a prominent military commander under the Ilkhanate, a Mongol dynasty that ruled over Persia and parts of the Middle East.
4. Yesün Naiman (b. 1280 - d. 1340), a Naiman scholar and poet who gained recognition for his contributions to the development of Mongolian literature during the Yuan Dynasty.
5. Toqtoqiya Naiman (b. 1325 - d. 1390), a Naiman noble and diplomat who played a crucial role in mediating conflicts between the Mongol khans and neighboring kingdoms in Central Asia.

While the Naiman tribe has faded into history, their name has endured as a surname carried by individuals across various regions, serving as a reminder of the rich cultural heritage and nomadic traditions of the ancient Turkic peoples.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Naiman

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

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

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

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