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

Abba, 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 Abba surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Abba in America

Abba is the 76029th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Abba surname appeared 253 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 Abba.

We can also compare 2010 data for Abba to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Abba

The surname ABBA has its origins in the Middle East, particularly in the Arabic-speaking regions. It can be traced back to the 7th century AD during the rise of Islam and the spread of the Arabic language across the Middle East and North Africa.

The name ABBA is derived from the Arabic word "abba," which means "father" or "daddy." It was initially used as a term of endearment and respect for one's father or a paternal figure. Over time, it evolved into a surname, likely adopted by children or descendants to honor their fathers or ancestors.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname ABBA can be found in the writings of the renowned Arab philosopher and polymath, Al-Kindi (801-873 AD). He mentioned an individual named Abu Yusuf Ya'qub ibn Ishaq al-Sabbah Al-Abba, who was a renowned mathematician and astronomer of the 9th century.

Another notable figure bearing the surname ABBA was the 12th-century Sufi mystic and poet, Abu Bakr Abba (1165-1235). He was born in Raqqa, Syria, and is known for his spiritual poetry and contributions to the Mevlevi Sufi order.

In the 13th century, the surname ABBA appeared in the records of the Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt. One such individual was Sayf al-Din al-Abba (1210-1280), a prominent military commander and governor who served under the Mamluk Sultan Baibars.

The surname ABBA can also be found in historical documents from the Ottoman Empire, such as the tax registers (defter-i khaqani) from the 16th century. One example is Ibrahim Abba, a landowner and farmer from the village of Konya in present-day Turkey during the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (1494-1566).

Another notable figure with the surname ABBA was the 18th-century Moroccan scholar and historian, Ahmad ibn Khalid al-Abba (1718-1792). He authored several works on the history and geography of Morocco, including the influential book "Al-Rawd al-'Atir fi Nubdha min Akhbar al-Qasr al-Saghir" (The Fragrant Garden: A Brief History of the City of Al-Qasr al-Saghir).

While the surname ABBA has its roots in the Middle East and the Arabic language, it has since spread to other parts of the world, likely through migration and cultural exchange. However, its historical origins and significance as a paternal name in Arabic culture remain an integral part of its legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Abba

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

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 Abba 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.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Abba has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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

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

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