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

Akter, 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 Akter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Akter in America

Akter is the 13316th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Akter surname appeared 2,291 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 Akter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Akter 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 Akter

The surname Akter has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in areas that are now part of Bangladesh and West Bengal in India. It is believed to have emerged as an occupational surname during the medieval period, derived from the Persian word "akhtar" or "akhtar," which means "star" or "celestial body."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Akter can be found in the "Ain-i-Akbari," a 16th-century administrative document commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This document mentions several individuals with the surname, suggesting that it was already well-established in that era.

In the 17th century, the surname appears in various Persian and Arabic texts, indicating its prevalence among Muslim communities in the region. It is also found in some local administrative records from the Mughal period.

One notable historical figure with the surname Akter was Shah Akter, a renowned Sufi mystic and spiritual leader who lived in the 16th century. He was widely respected for his teachings and writings, which influenced the spiritual landscape of the region.

Another prominent individual was Mir Mosharraf Hossain Akter, a celebrated Bengali writer and poet who lived in the 19th century (1847-1912). His works, which explored themes of love, spirituality, and social commentary, are considered significant contributions to Bengali literature.

In the 20th century, Jasimuddin Akter (1903-1976) gained recognition as a prominent Bengali poet and novelist. His literary works, which often drew inspiration from rural life and folklore, earned him numerous accolades, including the Bangla Academy Award.

Badruddin Akter (1932-2006) was a renowned Bangladeshi sculptor and artist. His sculptures, which often depicted scenes from rural life and traditional culture, can be found in various public spaces and museums throughout Bangladesh.

Moudud Ahmed Akter (1940-2022) was a prominent Bangladeshi diplomat and politician. He served as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh from 2001 to 2004 and played a significant role in shaping the country's political landscape.

While the surname Akter has its roots in the Indian subcontinent, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply intertwined with the cultural and literary traditions of the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Akter

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Akter, 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!