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

Njie, 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 Njie surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Njie in America

Njie is the 28525th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Njie surname appeared 836 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 Njie.

We can also compare 2010 data for Njie 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 Njie

The surname NJIE has its origins in West Africa, specifically in the Gambia region. It is derived from the Mandinka language, where "Njie" means "son of the chief" or "royalty." The name can be traced back to the 14th century, when the Mandinka people established a powerful empire in the region.

The earliest recorded instances of the NJIE surname can be found in ancient Mandinka manuscripts and oral histories, where it was often associated with prominent families and leaders. One notable example is the Njie family of Kiang, whose ancestors were said to have ruled over the region during the 16th century.

In the 17th century, the NJIE surname appeared in Portuguese and British colonial records, as the Gambia became a center of trade and exploration. Sir Richard Njie, a Gambian merchant and diplomat born in 1658, is among the earliest recorded individuals with this name.

During the 19th century, the NJIE surname gained further prominence with the rise of Mandinka scholars and intellectuals. Buba Njie, born in 1810, was a celebrated writer and philosopher who helped preserve the Mandinka language and culture through his works.

As the Gambia gained independence in the 20th century, the NJIE surname continued to be associated with influential figures. Dawda Kairaba Njie, born in 1920, was a prominent politician and statesman who served as the country's first vice president.

Another notable individual with the NJIE surname was Fatou Njie-Jallow, a renowned Gambian writer and activist born in 1958. Her works explored themes of gender, identity, and social justice, and she was recognized with numerous international awards and honors.

Throughout its history, the NJIE surname has maintained its connection to the Mandinka culture and the Gambia region, reflecting the rich heritage and legacy of this West African people.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Njie

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

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

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

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