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

Teja, 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 Teja surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Teja in America

Teja is the 95545th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Teja surname appeared 191 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 Teja.

We can also compare 2010 data for Teja 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 Teja

The surname Teja is believed to have originated in India. Its earliest recorded use dates back to the 3rd century BCE, when it was found in ancient Sanskrit texts referring to individuals from the region now known as Andhra Pradesh.

The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "tejas," which means "brilliance" or "splendor." It is thought to have been initially used as a title or honorific for individuals of high social standing or those possessing exceptional qualities.

As the name spread across India, it underwent various spelling variations, including Theja, Teyja, and Tegha. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name appear in inscriptions and palm-leaf manuscripts from the Gupta and Pallava dynasties.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Teja was King Amaravati Teja, who ruled the Kalinga Kingdom in present-day Odisha during the 6th century CE. He was renowned for his patronage of the arts and his efforts in promoting Buddhism in the region.

During the medieval period, the Teja surname gained prominence among the Kakatiya Dynasty of Andhra Pradesh. Prominent figures from this era include Prataparudra Teja, a renowned warrior and patron of literature, who reigned in the 13th century.

In the 16th century, the Teja surname is associated with the Vijayanagara Empire, where it was borne by several influential ministers and administrators, such as Krishnadevaraya Teja, a renowned scholar and statesman.

Later historical figures include Raghunath Teja, a 17th-century poet and scholar from Bengal, and Ramchandra Teja, a 19th-century social reformer and educator from Maharashtra.

While the surname Teja has its roots in India, it has also gained a presence in other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. Individuals bearing this surname can be found in various countries, including the United States, Canada, and parts of Europe.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Teja

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

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

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

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