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

Abdel, 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 Abdel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Abdel in America

Abdel is the 56836th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Abdel surname appeared 359 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 Abdel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Abdel 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 Abdel

The surname ABDEL originates from the Arabic language and has its roots in the Middle East. It is a prefix derived from the Arabic word 'Abd', meaning 'servant' or 'slave', often used in combination with one of the names of God, such as 'Abdullah' (servant of God).

The earliest recorded instances of the name 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. It is believed that the name ABDEL was initially adopted by individuals who converted to Islam and chose to incorporate it into their names as a symbol of submission to God.

In the medieval period, the name ABDEL appeared in various historical manuscripts and records, particularly in regions under Islamic rule. One notable example is the 10th-century historian and philosopher, Abdel-Rahman al-Sufi, who wrote extensively on astronomy and astrology.

As the Islamic empires expanded, the name ABDEL spread to different parts of the world, including the Iberian Peninsula and parts of Europe. During the Moorish rule in Spain, the name ABDEL was commonly found among the Muslim population, and it is still prevalent in regions with a strong Islamic heritage, such as Morocco and Algeria.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the surname ABDEL. One such individual was Abdel Aziz al-Saud, the founder of the modern Saudi Arabian state, who lived from 1875 to 1953. Another prominent figure was Abdel Nasser, the President of Egypt from 1956 to 1970, who played a significant role in the Arab nationalist movement.

In the literary world, the Egyptian writer and Nobel Laureate, Naguib Mahfouz, whose full name was Abdel Naguib Mahfouz (1911-2006), is renowned for his contributions to Arabic literature. The Moroccan painter and sculptor, Abdel-Rahman Ouazzani (1920-1997), is also celebrated for his artistic achievements.

The surname ABDEL has been associated with various place names throughout the Middle East and North Africa, such as Abdel-Kader (a town in Morocco) and Abdel-Hafiz (a village in Egypt). These place names often reflect the influence of individuals bearing the name ABDEL, who may have been significant figures or founders of these locations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Abdel

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

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

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

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