Explore the Family Name Jamaica
The meaning of Jamaica
Hispanic: habitational name from Jamaica, an island situated in the Caribbean Sea, named from Taíno Xaymaca ‘land of wood and water’ or ‘land of springs’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Jamaica in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Jamaica has seen a significant growth in popularity over the decade from 2000 to 2010. The rank of this surname increased by nearly 19 percent, moving from 61,855th place to 50,106th place. This rise in rank indicates that more individuals in the United States are carrying this surname. In terms of count, the number of individuals with the Jamaica surname has grown by almost 38 percent - from 303 people in 2000 to 418 people in 2010. This means that for every 100,000 people in the US, the number of people named Jamaica rose by 27.27 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #61,855 | #50,106 | 18.99% |
| Count | 303 | 418 | 37.95% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.11 | 0.14 | 27.27% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Jamaica
In terms of ethnic identity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals that the majority of individuals with the surname Jamaica identify as Hispanic. In both 2000 and 2010, the percentage of Hispanics with this surname was extremely high, at 96.37 percent and 95.45 percent respectively. There was a slight decrease in this percentage over the decade, but it remained the dominant ethnicity. In contrast, those identifying as White decreased by around 28 percent, making up only 1.91 percent in 2010. Interestingly, there was an emergence of individuals who identify as Black holding the surname Jamaica in 2010, which was not previously recorded in 2000. No individuals identified as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native in both years, and there were no recorded instances of individuals of two or more races carrying the Jamaica surname.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 96.37% | 95.45% | -0.95% |
| White | 2.64% | 1.91% | -27.65% |
| Black | 0% | 1.67% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |