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

Yahaya, 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 Yahaya surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yahaya in America

Yahaya is the 160975th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yahaya surname appeared 100 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 Yahaya.

The history of the last name Yahaya

The surname Yahaya finds its roots in the Arabic-speaking countries, particularly among Muslim communities. The name is originally derived from the Arabic word Yahya, which translates to "John" in English and is a name of significant Islamic, Christian, and Jewish historical importance, though used differently as a surname. Yahaya, as a surname, started becoming prominent in areas such as North Africa, the Middle East, and later, due to the spread of Islam, in parts of sub-Saharan Africa.

The history of the name Yahaya can be traced back to early Islamic texts and manuscripts, where it often appeared in the form of Yahya. Historical records from the Abbasid Caliphate period, roughly around the 8th to 9th centuries, show various notable individuals with the name Yahya. With time, as families expanded and spread, Yahaya evolved as a surname, especially among those embracing Arabic naming conventions outside the core Arabic-speaking regions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Yahaya appears in the medieval period within trade records from the trans-Saharan trade routes. These records highlight the influence of northern Muslim traders in regions like Mauritania and Mali. The oldest spellings included variants such as Yahia, reflecting the linguistic nuances as the name was adapted into local dialects.

Among historically significant figures bearing the surname Yahaya, a notable mention is Yahaya ibn Abd al-Rahman, born in 1150 and a renowned North African scholar. He is remembered for his contributions to Islamic jurisprudence and education during the Almohad Caliphate. Another prominent figure was Ahmad Yahaya, a 16th-century Hausa ruler, who played a crucial role in the consolidation of Hausa city-states in present-day Nigeria.

In the 19th century, Ahmad Yahaya, born in 1820, was a noted leader and military strategist from the Sokoto Caliphate, emphasizing the spread of the surname within West African Muslim communities. His leadership significantly impacted the Fula jihad states and showcased the continued usage and respect for the name Yahaya.

Additional historical figures include Sulayman Yahaya, a 17th-century diplomat who facilitated trade between the Ottoman Empire and sub-Saharan Africa. His diplomatic endeavors were documented in various mercantile records of the era, showing the wide geographical spread of the surname. Lastly, the 18th-century historian Ibrahim Yahaya, noted for his extensive writings on the movements of Islamic scholars across North Africa, substantially contributed to the historical recognition of the surname.

Over the centuries, the surname Yahaya has become a distinctive marker of heritage, primarily among Muslim communities with historical ties to Arabic and Islamic culture, emphasizing its deep-rooted significance and spread beyond its origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yahaya

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

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

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

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