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

Unga, 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 Unga surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Unga in America

Unga is the 72771st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Unga surname appeared 267 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 Unga.

We can also compare 2010 data for Unga 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 Unga

The surname Unga has its origins in the Scandinavian countries of Norway and Sweden, dating back to the Viking era around the 9th century AD. It is believed to be derived from the Old Norse word "ungr," which means "young" or "youthful." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who was particularly young or youthful in appearance or demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Unga can be found in the Icelandic Landnámabók, a medieval manuscript detailing the settlement of Iceland by Norse settlers in the 9th and 10th centuries. The text mentions an individual named Unga Ásgeirsson, who is said to have been one of the first settlers in the region of Breiðafjörður in western Iceland.

In Sweden, the name Unga can be traced back to the 13th century, with records indicating its presence in the region of Uppland, northeast of Stockholm. One notable individual with this surname was Bengt Unga, a Swedish nobleman and military commander who lived in the late 15th century and served as a governor of Stockholm Castle.

The name Unga also has connections to certain place names in Scandinavia. For instance, the village of Ungarn in southern Sweden is thought to have derived its name from the Old Norse word "ungr," potentially indicating a historical association with the surname.

Another notable figure with the surname Unga was Hans Unga, a Swedish statesman and politician who lived in the late 16th century. He served as a member of the Swedish Privy Council and played a significant role in the political affairs of the Swedish Empire during the reign of King John III.

In Norway, the name Unga can be found in historical records from the 16th century onwards. One individual of note was Peder Unga, a Norwegian merchant and ship owner who lived in the city of Bergen in the late 17th century. He was involved in the lucrative trade between Norway and the Netherlands during that period.

While the surname Unga is not particularly common today, it has a rich historical lineage that can be traced back to the early days of Scandinavian settlement and Viking exploration. Its origins and meaning reflect the cultural and linguistic heritage of the Nordic regions, providing a fascinating glimpse into the naming traditions of these ancient societies.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Unga

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

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

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

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