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

Wynja, 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 Wynja surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wynja in America

Wynja is the 142108th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wynja surname appeared 117 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 Wynja.

The history of the last name Wynja

The surname Wynja likely originates from Scandinavia, particularly with a strong association to Norway. The etymological roots of Wynja can be traced back to Old Norse, with potential links to the word "vin," which means "meadow" or "pasture." The name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a meadow-like area or land. The use of nature-related elements in surnames was common in the Viking Age and early medieval periods, suggesting that the name has deep historical connections.

The earliest references to the surname Wynja are sparse, but the name does appear in several historical manuscripts and records from the 14th and 15th centuries in Norwegian regions. One of the oldest known records dates to 1386, where a farmer named Thorvald Wynja is listed in the estate records of western Norway. This suggests the family may have held significant land and possibly minor nobility status.

By the 16th century, the surname can be identified in church records, such as baptism and marriage registers. Notably, a document from 1562 references a man named Erik Wynja, who was a blacksmith in the Oslo area. This denotes an occupational inheritance where surnames began to get tied not only to land but to professions as well.

Later historical accounts from the 18th century show that the Wynja family had become geographically dispersed across Norway and even into Sweden. A specific instance is recorded in 1743, where Anders Wynja is mentioned as a merchant in the port city of Bergen. His involvement in trade indicates the family's socio-economic evolution over the centuries from agriculture to commerce.

The surname crossed over to the United States with the wave of Norwegian immigration in the late 19th century. Johan Henrik Wynja, born in 1864, is one prominent example; he emigrated to the American Midwest in 1889 and became a well-known figure in Minnesota's farming community. His descendants continue to maintain a presence in the region, contributing to local culture and heritage.

In the early 20th century, another notable individual with the surname is Bjorn Wynja, a Norwegian naval officer born in 1895. He played a significant role during World War II, participating in several key maritime operations. His service record is preserved in military archives, showcasing the continued prominence of the name within Norwegian history.

Throughout these periods, variations in spelling such as Vynja and Winja have been documented, possibly due to transcription errors or regional dialect influences. These alternative spellings reinforce the surname's deep historical significance and evolution over time, maintaining its legacy through different socio-cultural contexts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wynja

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

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 Wynja 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.

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

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

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