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

Alam, 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 Alam surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Alam in America

Alam is the 4476th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Alam surname appeared 7,932 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Alam.

We can also compare 2010 data for Alam 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 Alam

The surname Alam has its origins rooted in the Arabic language, originating from the Middle East and North African regions around the 7th century AD. The name is derived from the Arabic word "alam," which translates to "world" or "universe." This linguistic connection suggests that the surname may have been initially bestowed upon individuals who held a significant presence or influence in their respective communities or were well-traveled.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Alam can be traced back to the Abbasid Caliphate, which ruled over a vast territory spanning from modern-day Iran to Morocco between 750 and 1258 AD. During this period, the name appeared in various administrative records and legal documents, indicating its usage among scholars, merchants, and officials associated with the caliphate.

In the Indian subcontinent, the surname Alam gained prominence during the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal Empire periods, spanning from the 13th to the 18th centuries. Several notable figures with the surname Alam emerged during this era, including Mir Muhammad Alam Anees (1645-1719), a renowned Urdu and Persian poet, and Nawab Mir Qasim Ali Khan Alam (1722-1777), the last independent Nawab of Bengal.

As the centuries progressed, the surname Alam spread across various regions, including Central Asia, the Middle East, and parts of Europe. In Europe, the name can be traced back to the Ottoman Empire's influence in the Balkans and Eastern Europe, where it was adopted by individuals who converted to Islam or had close ties with the Ottoman ruling class.

Historically, the surname Alam has also been associated with several prominent scholars and literary figures. One such individual was Qazi Nurullah Shushtari Alam (1543-1610), a renowned Persian poet and scholar from Iran. Another notable figure was Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib Alam (1797-1869), a celebrated Urdu and Persian poet from the Indian subcontinent.

Other notable individuals with the surname Alam include Qazi Muhammad Alam (1610-1668), an influential Sufi scholar and writer from India; Mirza Alam Khan (1880-1948), a prominent Indian politician and diplomat; and Qazi Alam (1911-1988), a renowned Bangladeshi poet and essayist.

While the surname Alam has its roots in the Arabic language, its widespread usage across various regions and cultures has led to diverse pronunciations, spellings, and adaptations over time, reflecting the rich tapestry of cultural exchanges and migrations throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Alam

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

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

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

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