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

Ahmad, 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 Ahmad surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ahmad in America

Ahmad is the 2238th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ahmad surname appeared 16,291 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Ahmad.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ahmad 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 Ahmad

The surname Ahmad is of Arabic origin and is derived from the Arabic word "Ahmad," which means "the one who praises" or "the most praiseworthy." This name has its roots in the Middle East and can be traced back to the 7th century AD, during the rise of Islam.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ahmad can be found in the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam, where it is mentioned as one of the names of the Prophet Muhammad. The name gained widespread popularity among Muslims and became a common name in the Islamic world.

The surname Ahmad was likely first used by Arab families who adopted it as a way to honor their religious beliefs and pay tribute to the Prophet Muhammad. As Islam spread across the Middle East and North Africa, the name traveled with it, and variations of the spelling emerged in different regions.

In the 9th century, the name Ahmad appeared in historical records from the Abbasid Caliphate, which ruled over a vast territory spanning from modern-day Iran to Morocco. During this time, prominent figures bearing the name Ahmad included Ahmad ibn Hanbal (780-855 AD), a renowned Islamic scholar and jurist who founded the Hanbali school of Islamic jurisprudence.

As Islamic culture and trade routes expanded, the name Ahmad spread to other parts of the world, including the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. One notable figure from this region was Ahmad Shah Bahadur (1725-1775), the last ruler of the Mughal Empire in India.

In the Ottoman Empire, which ruled over a vast territory spanning from modern-day Turkey to the Balkans, the name Ahmad was also prevalent. One notable figure from this era was Ahmad Pasha (1839-1897), a prominent Ottoman statesman and reformer who served as the Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire.

In more recent history, the surname Ahmad has been carried by notable individuals such as Sir Muhammad Iqbal (1877-1938), a renowned Pakistani philosopher and poet who is widely regarded as the spiritual father of Pakistan, and Ahmad Jamal (1930-), an American jazz pianist and composer known for his influential style and innovative use of space and rhythm.

While the surname Ahmad has its origins in the Arab world, it has since become a global name, transcending cultural and geographical boundaries. Its connection to the Prophet Muhammad and its meaning of "the most praiseworthy" have made it a revered and respected name across various communities and regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ahmad

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

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

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

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