2010
#69,996
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 280
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.09
Very Rare Last name
Wainaina
A Kikuyu surname meaning "one who shines or is bright".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 441 Americans carry the last name Wainaina. That puts it at #57,177 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.13 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 777,221 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wainaina surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
441
1 in 777,221
Census rank
#57,177
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
385
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 385 bearers of the surname Wainaina in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.13 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 57177th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wainaina, the largest self-reported group is Black at 91.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.9%) and White (3.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wainaina
The surname WAINAINA has its origins in Kenya, East Africa, and dates back to the Kikuyu ethnic group. It is a combination of two words in the Kikuyu language, "waina" meaning "child" and "ina" meaning "mother". Therefore, the name WAINAINA translates to "child of the mother" or "son of the mother".
The Kikuyu people have a rich cultural heritage and have traditionally used names that reflect their values, experiences, and environment. WAINAINA was likely given as a name to signify the importance of motherhood and the strong bond between a child and their mother.
Historically, the name WAINAINA has been recorded in various documents and manuscripts related to the Kikuyu community. Some of the earliest known mentions of the name can be found in genealogical records kept by Kikuyu elders and oral traditions passed down through generations.
One notable individual bearing the surname WAINAINA was Wangari Maathai (1940-2011), a Kenyan environmental and political activist. She was the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for her contributions to sustainable development, democracy, and peace.
Another prominent figure with the WAINAINA surname was Ngugi wa Thiong'o (born 1938), a renowned Kenyan writer and academic. He has written numerous novels, plays, and essays that explore themes of colonialism, identity, and social justice. Ngugi wa Thiong'o is considered one of the most influential African writers of the 20th century.
In the realm of sports, Henry Wanyoike Wainaina (born 1986) is a Kenyan long-distance runner who has represented his country in various international competitions, including the Olympics and the World Championships.
Another notable individual is John Wainaina (born 1973), a Kenyan-born writer and satirist based in South Africa. He is known for his humorous and thought-provoking commentary on African culture and society.
Additionally, Binyavanga Wainaina (1971-2019) was a Kenyan author, journalist, and activist. He gained recognition for his memoir "One Day I Will Write About This Place" and his satirical essay "How to Write About Africa", which challenged stereotypes and perceptions about the African continent.
While the surname WAINAINA has its roots in Kenya, it has spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, its origins and cultural significance remain deeply rooted in the Kikuyu tradition and the rich history of East Africa.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wainaina
Among Census respondents with the surname Wainaina, the largest self-reported group is Black at 91.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.9%) and White (3.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Wainaina bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Wainaina surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American91.9% · 354
- Two or more races3.9% · 15
- White3.1% · 12
- Hispanic or Latino0.5% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wainaina
Wainaina appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#57,177
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 385
+105 bearers (+37.5%)
Per 100,000 0.13
Rank movement Up 12,819 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #69,996 | 280 | 0.09 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #57,177 | 385 | 0.13 | +105 bearers (+37.5%) | Up 12,819 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Wainaina surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #69,996 | #57,177 | 18.3% |
| Count | 280 | 385 | 37.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.09 | 0.13 | 43.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wainaina bearers went from 280 to 385 (+37.5% change). The surname moved up 12,819 positions in the national ranking, going from #69,996 to #57,177.
FAQ
Wainaina surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wainaina?
Name Census estimates that about 441 living Americans carry the surname Wainaina. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 777,221 residents.
How common is Wainaina?
Wainaina ranks #57,177 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.13 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 385 people with the surname Wainaina. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (441), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.13 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.13 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Wainaina.
Has Wainaina become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wainaina went from 280 recorded bearers to 385. That is an increase of 105 (+37.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #69,996 to #57,177.
What does the Census say about the background of Wainaina?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wainaina, the largest self-reported group is Black at 91.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.9%) and White (3.1%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Wainaina in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.9% (354 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wainaina appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (91.9%), Two or More Races (3.9%), White (3.1%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Wainaina (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Wainaina mean?
A Kikuyu surname meaning "one who shines or is bright". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Wainaina (0.13 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Wainaina?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.