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

Raja, 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 Raja surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Raja in America

Raja is the 12035th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Raja surname appeared 2,593 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Raja.

We can also compare 2010 data for Raja 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 Raja

The surname RAJA originates from India and is derived from the Sanskrit word "raja," which means "king" or "ruler." The name has a long and rich history dating back to ancient times.

In India, the title "Raja" was used to refer to the rulers of various kingdoms and principalities. The name RAJA was often associated with royalty and nobility, and it was carried by many influential and powerful individuals throughout Indian history.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name RAJA can be found in ancient Hindu texts, such as the Vedas and the Mahabharata. These texts mention various kings and rulers who bore the title "Raja," indicating that the name has been in use for thousands of years.

During the medieval period, the name RAJA gained further prominence as many ruling dynasties emerged across different regions of India. Some notable individuals with the surname RAJA include Raja Raja Chola (985-1014 CE), a powerful ruler of the Chola Empire, and Raja Rana Sanga (1482-1528 CE), a legendary Rajput ruler known for his bravery and military prowess.

The name RAJA also appears in various historical records and manuscripts, such as the Bakhshali Manuscript, an ancient Indian mathematical treatise dating back to the 3rd or 4th century CE, which mentions a scribe named RAJA.

In addition to its royal connotations, the name RAJA has also been associated with certain place names and geographical locations in India. For instance, the city of Rajasthan, which translates to "the land of kings," is derived from the word "Raja," reflecting the region's rich history of royal dynasties.

Notable individuals with the surname RAJA include Raja Ram Mohan Roy (1772-1833 CE), a prominent social reformer and the founder of the Brahmo Samaj movement, and Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906 CE), a celebrated Indian painter best known for his depictions of mythological and historical scenes.

Other famous individuals with the surname RAJA include Raja Ramanna (1925-2004 CE), an eminent Indian nuclear physicist and the architect of India's nuclear program, and Raja Rao (1908-2006 CE), a celebrated Indian writer and one of the pioneers of philosophical fiction in the English language.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Raja

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

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

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

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