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

Njeri, 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 Njeri surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Njeri in America

Njeri is the 129825th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Njeri surname appeared 131 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 Njeri.

The history of the last name Njeri

The surname "NJERI" originates from the Bantu people of East Africa, particularly in Kenya and Tanzania. It first appeared during the 19th century in these regions.

"NJERI" is derived from the Bantu word "njeri," meaning "prosperous" or "fortunate." It was likely given as a surname to individuals who were perceived as prosperous or fortunate within their communities.

Early written records of the name "NJERI" can be found in historical documents and missionary accounts from the late 19th century, when many Bantu communities were first documented by European explorers and missionaries.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname "NJERI" was Wanjiru Njeri, a Kikuyu woman born in the late 1800s in what is now central Kenya. She was known for her storytelling and was a respected elder in her community.

In the early 20th century, a notable figure with the surname "NJERI" was Muthoni Njeri, a Kenyan activist and leader of the Mau Mau rebellion against British colonial rule. She was born in the early 1900s and played a crucial role in the struggle for Kenyan independence.

Another individual of historical significance was Jomo Kenyatta, the first President of Kenya after independence. His mother's maiden name was Njeri, and she belonged to the Kikuyu tribe. Kenyatta was born in the late 19th century and was a prominent figure in the Kenyan independence movement.

In the realm of literature, Ngugi wa Thiong'o, a renowned Kenyan writer and scholar, has used the name "Njeri" as a character in some of his works, reflecting the cultural significance of the name in Kenyan society.

Historically, variations of the name "NJERI" were also found in other Bantu communities across East Africa, with slight spelling and pronunciation differences based on local dialects and languages.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Njeri

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

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

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

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