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

Wajda, 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 Wajda surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wajda in America

Wajda is the 26067th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wajda surname appeared 940 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 Wajda.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wajda 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 Wajda

The surname Wajda is of Polish origin, deriving from the Old Polish word "wajda," which means "military leader" or "commander." This name can be traced back to the Middle Ages in Poland, around the 13th to 15th centuries.

The name Wajda was initially associated with individuals who held positions of authority and leadership in the military or served as commanders during times of war. It was commonly used to refer to Polish noblemen and knights who led armies or participated in battles against invading forces.

One of the earliest documented references to the name Wajda can be found in the Polish Chronicles, a collection of historical records and manuscripts from the 12th to 16th centuries. These chronicles mention several notable individuals bearing the name Wajda, including Jan Wajda, a military commander who fought against the Teutonic Knights in the 14th century.

In the 16th century, the name Wajda appeared in various Polish court records and land registers, indicating the presence of noble families with this surname. One notable figure from this period was Stanisław Wajda (1520-1590), a Polish nobleman and military leader who fought in the wars against Russia and the Ottoman Empire.

As time passed, the name Wajda became more widespread and was adopted by individuals from different social classes, not exclusively limited to the nobility or military. In the 18th century, Andrzej Wajda (1726-1799) was a renowned Polish writer and poet who contributed significantly to the literary culture of the era.

Another notable individual with the surname Wajda was Kazimierz Wajda (1887-1966), a Polish military officer and general who served during World War I and World War II. He played a crucial role in the Polish resistance against the German occupation and was awarded numerous honors for his bravery and service.

In the 20th century, one of the most celebrated figures with the surname Wajda was Andrzej Wajda (1926-2016), a renowned Polish film director and screenwriter. He was widely regarded as one of the most influential filmmakers in Polish cinema and received numerous international awards and accolades for his work, including an Honorary Oscar in 2000.

While the surname Wajda originated from a specific military context, it has since become a widely recognized Polish surname, carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, writers, and professionals across different fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wajda

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

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

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

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