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

Raina, 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 Raina surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Raina in America

Raina is the 35147th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Raina surname appeared 641 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 Raina.

We can also compare 2010 data for Raina 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 Raina

The surname Raina is believed to have originated in the Indian subcontinent, particularly in the northern regions of India and present-day Pakistan. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "rājan," meaning king or ruler, suggesting that the name may have been associated with royalty or nobility in its early origins.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Raina can be traced back to the 16th century, although it is likely that the name existed even earlier. One of the earliest known individuals with this surname was Raja Raina, a prominent Hindu ruler who governed the region of Jammu in the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the name Raina appeared in several historical documents and records, including the Ain-i-Akbari, a detailed administrative document compiled during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This text mentions several individuals with the surname Raina who held important positions within the Mughal administration.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Raina surname was particularly prevalent in the regions of Punjab and Kashmir, where it was associated with influential families and landowners. One notable figure from this period was Diwan Raina, a powerful minister who served under the Sikh ruler Ranjit Singh in the early 19th century.

Another prominent individual with the surname Raina was Sir Ganga Ram Raina, a renowned civil engineer and architect who was born in 1835 in Lahore, present-day Pakistan. He was responsible for designing and constructing several iconic buildings and infrastructure projects in British India, including the Muztagh Pass and the Malakand Fort.

In more recent times, the Raina surname has gained recognition through individuals such as Suresh Raina, an Indian cricketer who represented the Indian national team in all three formats of the game. He was born in 1986 and has had a successful career, earning numerous accolades and captaining the Indian team on several occasions.

While the name Raina has its roots in the Indian subcontinent, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. However, its historical significance and association with royalty and influential figures continue to be an integral part of its legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Raina

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

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

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

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