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

Akhtar, 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 Akhtar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Akhtar in America

Akhtar is the 7785th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Akhtar surname appeared 4,260 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Akhtar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Akhtar 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 Akhtar

The surname AKHTAR is of Arabic origin, originating from the Arabic word "akhtar" which means "brighter" or "more beautiful." The name is commonly found among Muslim communities in South Asia, particularly in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

The earliest recorded use of the name AKHTAR can be traced back to the 7th century, during the Islamic Golden Age. It is believed that the name was initially bestowed upon individuals who were known for their intellect, wisdom, or exceptional qualities.

In the 13th century, during the Delhi Sultanate period, the name AKHTAR gained prominence as several notable scholars and poets bore this surname. One such individual was Amir Khusrau Akhtar, a renowned Sufi poet, and musician who lived from 1253 to 1325 CE.

The name AKHTAR has been associated with several distinguished figures throughout history. Mirza Asadullah Khan Akhtar, better known as Ghalib (1797-1869), was a prominent Urdu and Persian poet from Delhi. His literary works are widely celebrated and have left an indelible mark on the cultural fabric of the Indian subcontinent.

Another notable figure with the surname AKHTAR is Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (1888-1958), a renowned scholar, writer, and one of the prominent leaders of the Indian independence movement. He served as the first education minister of independent India.

In the field of sports, Zaheer Abbas Akhtar (born 1947) was a legendary Pakistani cricketer who played from 1969 to 1985. He was known for his elegant batting style and is considered one of the greatest batsmen in Pakistan's cricketing history.

The surname AKHTAR has also been associated with various place names and localities across South Asia. For instance, the village of Akhtarpur in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh is believed to have derived its name from an individual bearing the surname AKHTAR.

It is important to note that while the surname AKHTAR has its roots in Arabic, its usage and popularity have transcended geographical boundaries, making it a common surname among diverse communities in South Asia and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Akhtar

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!