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

Afshari, 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 Afshari surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Afshari in America

Afshari is the 50960th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Afshari surname appeared 409 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 Afshari.

We can also compare 2010 data for Afshari 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 Afshari

The surname Afshari is an Iranian name that can be traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the Persian word "Afshar," which refers to a nomadic Turkic tribe that settled in parts of what is now modern-day Iran and Turkey. The Afshari people were known for their skills as horse breeders and warriors.

In the early 1500s, the Afshar tribe played a significant role in the establishment of the Safavid Dynasty in Iran. They provided military support to Shah Ismail I, the founder of the dynasty, and many members of the tribe held important positions in the Safavid court. The surname Afshari likely emerged during this period as a way to identify individuals with connections to the Afshar tribe.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Afshari can be found in the writings of the famous Persian poet and historian, Iskandar Beg Munshi. In his work, "Alam-ara-ye Abbasi," he mentions several individuals with the surname Afshari who held prominent positions in the court of Shah Abbas I, the fifth Safavid ruler, in the early 17th century.

Throughout the Safavid era, the Afshari surname gained prominence, and several notable figures bore this name. One such individual was Mirza Muhammad Afshari (1570-1640), a renowned calligrapher and poet who served as the chief calligrapher at the court of Shah Abbas I. Another notable figure was Mirza Rafi' Afshari (1592-1659), a high-ranking official and diplomat during the reigns of Shah Abbas I and Shah Safi.

In the 18th century, the Afshari surname gained further significance when Nader Shah Afshar (1688-1747), a member of the Afshar tribe, rose to power and founded the Afsharid Dynasty. Nader Shah was a brilliant military commander who conquered vast territories, including parts of India and Central Asia. His dynasty, though short-lived, left a lasting impact on the region's history.

Another notable figure with the Afshari surname was Mirza Reza Afshari (1819-1892), a prominent Iranian statesman and diplomat who served as the ambassador to the Ottoman Empire and Russia during the Qajar era. He played a crucial role in negotiating several important treaties between Iran and its neighbors.

Throughout history, the Afshari surname has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, poets, military leaders, and government officials. While its origins can be traced back to the nomadic Afshar tribe, the name has become an integral part of Iranian culture and identity.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Afshari

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

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

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

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