Here are the most common Black or African American last names beginning with J in the United States.
Our list takes surnames from the 2010 census only if 50% or more holders declared that they were Black.
Of course, many African Americans have surnames that fall below this percentage. We simply use it as a cut-off for this list.
Details Behind The List
The U.S. census of 2010 included a question that asked if the person was Black or another ethnicity (or mix).
Our details include the black percentage in 2010 for each name. The census provides a percentage with two decimal points. We rounded it to a whole number.
We also checked the censuses of 1940 and 1910 for the number of people of each name who were documented as black.
This article uses the terms Black and African American interchangeably.
The public details from the 2010 census do not include nationality so our numbers cannot be exact. Take them as a guide.
Top 30 Black Surnames Beginning With J
Twenty-eight out of thirty of these black and African American names have at least one thousand bearers in the 2010 U.S. census.
The surnames are listed below in order of how common they are.
Jackson
The 2010 census had a total of 708,099 people with the last name Jackson. This is one of the most common names in the United States regardless of race.
About 53% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 149,521 people named Jackson were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 107,227 people of this name were documented as black.
Historic figures
Jimmie Lee Jackson was born in Marion, Alabama in 1938. He worked as a woodcutter and was ordained as a Baptist deacon.
Jackson and his family tried repeatedly to register to vote. His mother, grandfather, and sister joined him in a civil rights march in Marion in 1965.
When troopers attacked the peaceful marchers, Jimmie Lee was shot. He died eight days later. Martin Luther King spoke at his memorial service.
Jackson’s death was one of the violent events that led to the historic march from Selma to Montgomery.
If you want an in-depth review that includes 19th century census records and military history, check out our sister website’s article on the black history of the Jackson surname.
Joseph
The 2010 census had a total of 100,959 people with the last name Joseph.
About 54% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 6,168 people named Joseph were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 3,408 people of this name were documented as black.
Jefferson
The 2010 census had a total of 55,179 people with the last name Jefferson.
About 74% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 15,383 people named Jefferson were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 10,872 people of this name were documented as black.
Historic figures
Louise Jefferson was born in 1908 in Washington DC. Her father, Paul Jackson, was a calligrapher for the Treasury. Her mother sang and entertained on river cruises.
Louise studied fine art and graphic design at Howard University, Hunter College, and Columbia University. She became an active part of the Harlem Renaissance, a resurgence in African American artistic endeavors.
Jefferson freelanced in book covers, illustrations, and posters. In 1936, the governor of Georgia ordered the burning of a songbook with illustrations by Jefferson of black and white children singing together.
When she secured a permanent position with Friendship Press, she rose to the role of artistic director by 1942. She may be the first African American to have held this prestigious position in a publishing company.
This example of her work is a poster depicting notable African Americans of the time.
Jefferson retired in 1960 and spent much of the decade traveling through Africa. Her photos and illustrations from her trips are published as “The Decorative Arts of Africa“.
Why we skipped Jones and Johnson
You may be expecting to see the numbers for Jones and Johnson here because they are such common names. Bu both have less than 50% of black bearers.
However, our sister website has a separate in-depth look at black history relating to the Johnson surname and also at Jones as a black surname.
Jean
The 2010 census had a total of 21,140 people with the last name Jean.
About 70% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 365 people named Jean were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 664 people of this name were documented as black.
Jeter
The 2010 census had a total of 13,198 people with the last name Jeter.
About 51% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 2,542 people named Jeter were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 1,865 people of this name were documented as black.
Jean-baptiste
The 2010 census had a total of 7,915 people with the last name Jean-baptiste.
About 94% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 21 people named Jean-baptiste were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 109 people of this name were documented as black.
Julien
The 2010 census had a total of 5,535 people with the last name Julien.
About 52% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 103 people named Julien were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 165 people of this name were documented as black.
Jamerson
The 2010 census had a total of 5,273 people with the last name Jamerson.
About 50% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 945 people named Jamerson were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 279 people of this name were documented as black.
Jean-louis
The 2010 census had a total of 4,891 people with the last name Jean-louis.
About 93% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 42 people named Jean-louis were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 200 people of this name were documented as black.
Jiles
The 2010 census had a total of 4,441 people with the last name Jiles.
About 62% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 818 people named Jiles were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 589 people of this name were documented as black.
Jeanpierre
The 2010 census had a total of 3,990 people with the last name Jeanpierre.
About 91% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 13 people named Jeanpierre were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 42 people of this name were documented as black.
Jemison
The 2010 census had a total of 3,797 people with the last name Jemison.
About 69% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 831 people named Jemison were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 539 people of this name were documented as black.
Joshua
The 2010 census had a total of 3,403 people with the last name Joshua.
About 57% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 517 people named Joshua were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 338 people of this name were documented as black.
Jules
The 2010 census had a total of 2,911 people with the last name Jules.
About 83% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 81 people named Jules were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 84 people of this name were documented as black.
Jama
The 2010 census had a total of 2,907 people with the last name Jama.
About 92% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, four people named Jama were documented as black. One was born in what was then called “British Somaliland”.
There were no black holders of the name in the 1900 U.S. census.
Jarmon
The 2010 census had a total of 2,717 people with the last name Jarmon.
About 65% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 501 people named Jarmon were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 141 people of this name were documented as black.
Jalloh
The 2010 census had a total of 2,542 people with the last name Jalloh.
About 96% identified as Black or African American.
Nobody of this name was documented as black in the 1900 or 1940 censuses.
Junior
The 2010 census had a total of 2,146 people with the last name Junior.
About 54% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 532 people named Junior were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 209 people of this name were documented as black.
Jelks
The 2010 census had a total of 2,093 people with the last name Jelks.
About 80% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 407 people named Jelks were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 243 people of this name were documented as black.
Jeanty
The 2010 census had a total of 1,870 people with the last name Jeanty.
About 89% identified as Black or African American.
Nobody of this name was documented as black in the 1900 or 1940 censuses.
Jean-charles
The 2010 census had a total of 1,681 people with the last name Jean-charles.
About 93% identified as Black or African American.
Nobody of this name was documented as black in the 1900 or 1940 censuses.
Jean-francois
The 2010 census had a total of 1,554 people with the last name Jean-francois.
About 93% identified as Black or African American.
Nobody of this name was documented as black in the 1900 or 1940 censuses.
Janvier
The 2010 census had a total of 1,482 people with the last name Janvier.
About 83% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 1 people named Janvier were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 6 people of this name were documented as black.
Jacquet
The 2010 census had a total of 1,421 people with the last name Jacquet.
About 51% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 125 people named Jacquet were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 24 people of this name were documented as black.
Jeanjacques or Jean Jackques
The 2010 census had a total of 1,392 people with the last name Jeanjacques.
About 94% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 19 people named Jeanjacques were documented as black. All were born in Louisiana and living in New Orleans.
In the 1900 U.S. census, six people of this name were documented as black.
Le Jeune
The 2010 census had a total of 1,242 people with the last name “le Jeune”.
About 83% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, eight people named le Jeune were documented as black. They were all born in Louisiana and living in Cinclare, West Baton Rouge. As six were in the same household, I expect this is all one family.
However, there were no black holders of the name in the 1900 U.S. census.
Jolivette
The 2010 census had a total of 1,118 people with the last name Jolivette.
About 65% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 78 people named Jolivette were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 13 people of this name were documented as black.
Jeudy
The 2010 census had a total of 1,010 people with the last name Jeudy.
About 91% identified as Black or African American.
Nobody of this name was documented as black in the 1900 or 1940 censuses.
Jone
The 2010 census had a total of 973 people with the last name Jone.
About 52% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 296 people named Jone were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 269 people of this name were documented as black.
Jallow
The 2010 census had a total of 884 people with the last name Jallow.
About 91% identified as Black or African American.
Nobody of this name was documented as black in the 1900 or 1940 censuses.
