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

Njenga, 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 Njenga surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Njenga in America

Njenga is the 48256th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Njenga surname appeared 438 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 Njenga.

We can also compare 2010 data for Njenga 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 Njenga

The surname Njenga originates from the Kikuyu people of Kenya, an ethnic group native to the central highlands of the country. It is believed to have emerged in the early 19th century or possibly earlier.

Njenga is derived from the Kikuyu word "njeng'a," which means "to walk" or "to journey." This suggests that the name may have been given to individuals who traveled frequently or were known for their wanderlust.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Njenga surname can be found in the writings of British explorer Joseph Thomson, who documented his travels through Kenya in the late 1800s. Thomson's accounts mention several individuals with the surname Njenga, indicating that it was already well-established by that time.

A notable figure in Kenyan history bearing the Njenga surname was Mbiyu Njenga, a prominent leader in the Mau Mau uprising against British colonial rule in the 1950s. Mbiyu Njenga was born in the early 1900s and played a crucial role in organizing and mobilizing the Kikuyu resistance movement.

Another significant individual with the Njenga surname was Wangari Maathai, the renowned Kenyan environmental activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Maathai, whose full name was Wangari Muta Njenga, was born in 1940 and gained international recognition for her work in promoting sustainable development and environmental conservation.

In the world of sports, one of the most famous bearers of the Njenga surname was Henry Rono Njenga, a Kenyan long-distance runner who dominated the international athletics scene in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Njenga won numerous medals, including gold at the 1978 Commonwealth Games and the 1978 and 1982 African Championships.

Another notable figure was Njeri Njenga, a Kenyan writer and advocate for women's rights. Njenga, who was born in the 1930s, played a significant role in promoting literacy and education among women in Kenya through her literary works and activism.

While the Njenga surname is primarily associated with the Kikuyu people of Kenya, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, its roots can be traced back to the central highlands of Kenya, where it originated as a reflection of the Kikuyu culture and way of life.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Njenga

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

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

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

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