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

Agag, 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 Agag surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Agag in America

Agag is the 122314th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Agag surname appeared 141 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 Agag.

We can also compare 2010 data for Agag 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 Agag

The surname AGAG is believed to have originated in the Middle East, specifically in the region of ancient Canaan during the biblical era. It is derived from the name of an Amalekite king mentioned in the Old Testament, who was spared by Saul but later executed by Samuel.

One of the earliest known references to the name AGAG can be found in the Book of Samuel, where King Agag of the Amalekites is captured by Saul but spared, much to the displeasure of the prophet Samuel. This act of disobedience ultimately led to Saul's downfall as the king of Israel.

The name AGAG is believed to have spread across the region during the time of the Israelite conquest of Canaan, as the Amalekites were a nomadic tribe that inhabited parts of the Sinai Peninsula and the Negev desert. Over time, the name may have been adopted by various individuals or families, potentially as a way to honor or commemorate the Amalekite king.

In later historical records, there are a few notable individuals who bore the surname AGAG. One such figure was Rabbi Yitzchak ben Avraham AGAG, a prominent Jewish scholar and philosopher who lived in Spain during the 13th century. He wrote extensively on Jewish law and ethics, and his works were widely studied in Jewish communities across Europe.

Another notable bearer of the surname AGAG was Hayyim ben Yosef AGAG, a 16th-century rabbi and kabbalist from Safed, in present-day Israel. He was known for his teachings on Jewish mysticism and his commentaries on the Zohar, a seminal work of Kabbalah.

In the realm of literature, one of the earliest known references to the surname AGAG can be found in the epic poem "Paradise Lost" by John Milton, published in 1667. In the poem, Milton mentions "Agag the proud" in reference to the biblical Amalekite king.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, several individuals with the surname AGAG were mentioned in various historical records and documents, suggesting that the name had spread and persisted across different regions and communities. However, detailed information about these individuals is often scarce or ambiguous.

It is worth noting that while the surname AGAG has its roots in the ancient Middle East, it has likely been adopted or adapted by individuals and families across various cultures and regions over the centuries, potentially leading to variations in spelling and pronunciation.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Agag

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

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

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

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