Explore the Family Name Raza
The meaning of Raza
Muslim (mainly Pakistan): from the personal name Razā, an Urdu variant of Reza. Some characteristic forenames: Arabic/Muslim Syed, Ali, Mohammad, Asif, Mohammed, Abbas, Babar, Hassan, Abdul, Abid, Hashim, Saleem.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Raza in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Raza has become more popular in the United States over the past decade. In 2000, it was ranked as the 14,006th most common name, but by 2010, it had risen to the 9,583rd spot, marking an impressive increase of 31.58%. Similarly, the count of individuals with this name grew from 1,976 in 2000 to 3,392 in 2010, a substantial rise of 71.66%. The proportion per 100,000 people also saw significant growth, increasing by 57.53% from 0.73 to 1.15.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,006 | #9,583 | 31.58% |
| Count | 1,976 | 3,392 | 71.66% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.73 | 1.15 | 57.53% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Raza
The Decennial U.S. Census reveals changes in the ethnic identity associated with the surname Raza between 2000 and 2010. The largest shift is seen among the Asian/Pacific Islander group, which increased from 71.46% to 82.64%, showing a 15.65% change. On the other hand, there was a significant decrease in the proportion of individuals identifying with two or more races, dropping from 11.34% to 3.36%, a reduction of 70.37%. The percentage of White individuals also decreased from 10.48% to 7.84%. There was a slight decrease among those with Hispanic origins from 5.77% to 5.28%. Interestingly, Black and American Indian/Alaskan Native categories were not reported in 2000, but appeared in 2010, comprising 0.56% and 0.32% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 71.46% | 82.64% | 15.65% |
| White | 10.48% | 7.84% | -25.19% |
| Hispanic | 5.77% | 5.28% | -8.49% |
| Two or More Races | 11.34% | 3.36% | -70.37% |
| Black | 0% | 0.56% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.32% | 0% |
Raza ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Raza is Northern Indian & Pakistani, which comprises 69.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (7.4%) and Bengali & Northeast Indian (3.9%). Additional ancestries include French & German, Southern Indian & Sri Lankan, Central Asian, Iranian, Caucasian & Mesopotamian, and Filipino & Austronesian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Northern Indian & Pakistani | 69.3% |
| British & Irish | 7.4% |
| Bengali & Northeast Indian | 3.9% |
| Other | 19.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Raza
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Raza have recent ancestry locations spanning a few countries, mostly in Pakistan, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Punjab, Pakistan | 56.20% |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan | 21.20% |
| Sindh, Pakistan | 20.00% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 12.50% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 12.50% |
What Raza haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Raza is R-L266, which is predominantly found among people with Central & South Asian ancestry. Haplogroup R-L266 is descended from haplogroup R-M479. Other common haplogroups include J-L26 and R-Y7, which are predominantly found among people with European and Central & South Asian ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Shaikh, Zaman, Verma, Sheikh, Alam, Rahman, Lal, Siddiqui, Das, Kumar.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Raza surname are: M, H, R. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M479
Your paternal lineage may be linked to the Romani people
The Roma, who are also called "Gypsies" and "Romanies," are an ethnic group that originated in India and migrated to Europe 1,000 years ago. There are several different Roma populations, including Vlach Roma, who speak Hungarian and Romani languages, and Carpathian Roma, who speak exclusively Hungarian. Today, Roma populations mostly live in Southeastern and Central Europe, and make up about 7% of the total population in Hungary. Haplogroup R2a is also present in a Kuwaiti Bedouin population called the Awazim. It is possible that haplogroup R2a was brought into the Awazim population during the migration of the Roma people from India to Europe 1,000 years ago.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Raza have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Raza" Surname 41.2%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Raza" Surname 46.2%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Raza" Surname 40.9%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Raza" Surname 8.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Raza?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Raza are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition