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

Naja, 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 Naja surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Naja in America

Naja is the 78567th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Naja surname appeared 243 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 Naja.

We can also compare 2010 data for Naja 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 Naja

The surname NAJA has its origins in Spain, emerging in the late 15th century. It is believed to be derived from the Arabic word "naja," meaning "escape" or "to flee." This suggests that the name may have been given to individuals who had fled or escaped from a particular region or circumstance.

During the era of the Reconquista, when the Christian kingdoms of Spain gradually reclaimed territories from the Moors, many individuals of Arabic descent likely adopted or were given Spanish surnames as they assimilated into the newly conquered regions. NAJA could have been one such surname, reflecting the experiences of those who sought refuge or fled from the conflicts of that turbulent period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname NAJA can be found in the municipal archives of Seville, dated 1492. This document mentions a certain Pedro de NAJA, who was a landowner in the city's vicinity. Another notable early reference is in the 16th-century chronicles of the Spanish conquest of Mexico, where a soldier named Francisco NAJA is mentioned as part of the expedition led by Hernán Cortés.

In the 17th century, the NAJA surname appears to have spread to various parts of the Spanish Empire, including the Americas. Juan NAJA, born in 1625 in Cartagena, present-day Colombia, was a prominent merchant and landowner in the region. His son, Diego NAJA (1658-1712), became a respected judge and held influential positions in the colonial administration.

As the centuries progressed, the NAJA surname continued to be carried by individuals of diverse professions and backgrounds. Notable examples include the Spanish painter José NAJA (1766-1842), whose works can be found in several museums in Madrid and Seville, and the Argentine writer and educator Mariano NAJA (1810-1882), who played a significant role in promoting education and literacy in his country.

In more recent times, the NAJA surname has been associated with figures such as the Mexican actress and dancer Ofelia NAJA (1900-1988), who gained fame in Hollywood during the Golden Age of Mexican cinema, and the Spanish businessman and philanthropist Miguel NAJA (1924-2012), who was known for his philanthropic endeavors and support of various charitable causes.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Naja

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

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

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

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