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

Al-Ghazali, 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 Al-Ghazali surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Al-Ghazali in America

Al-Ghazali is the 68122nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Al-Ghazali surname appeared 289 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 Al-Ghazali.

We can also compare 2010 data for Al-Ghazali 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 Al-Ghazali

The surname Alghazali originated in Persia (modern-day Iran) during the 11th century. It is derived from the Arabic phrase "al-Ghazali," which translates to "the spinner" or "the weaver." This surname is closely associated with the revered Islamic philosopher, theologian, and mystic, Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (1058-1111), who was born in Tus, a city in the Khorasan region of Persia.

Al-Ghazali's writings and teachings had a profound impact on Islamic thought, and his works, such as the "Ihya' Ulum al-Din" (The Revival of the Religious Sciences), were widely studied and disseminated throughout the Islamic world. His surname, Alghazali, became associated with his intellectual and spiritual legacy, and it is likely that some of his descendants or followers adopted this surname as a way to honor and affiliate themselves with his teachings.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Alghazali can be found in the biographical works of the 13th-century Persian historian and scholar, Ibn Khallikan. He documented the lives of several individuals bearing this surname, including the renowned Sufi mystic and poet, Ahmad al-Ghazali (d. 1126), who was a disciple of al-Ghazali and hailed from the city of Tus.

Another notable figure with the surname Alghazali was the 12th-century Islamic scholar and theologian, Abu'l-Futuh al-Ghazali (d. 1181), who was a student of al-Ghazali's disciple, Abu Bakr al-Tusi. Abu'l-Futuh al-Ghazali was known for his contributions to the field of Islamic jurisprudence and his commentary on al-Ghazali's works.

In the 13th century, the Persian poet and mystic, Shams al-Din al-Ghazali (d. 1279), gained recognition for his mystical poems and his association with the renowned Sufi poet, Rumi. Shams al-Din al-Ghazali was a spiritual guide and is believed to have had a significant influence on Rumi's mystical awakening.

During the 14th century, the Persian scholar and scientist, Mahmud al-Ghazali (d. 1364), made important contributions to the fields of astronomy, mathematics, and philosophy. He was also known for his work on the interpretation of al-Ghazali's teachings and their application to scientific inquiry.

Another notable figure bearing the surname Alghazali was the 15th-century Persian philosopher and theologian, Nur al-Din al-Ghazali (d. 1462), who was renowned for his defense of Sunni orthodoxy and his critiques of Shi'a teachings. His works influenced the intellectual and religious discourse of his time and played a significant role in shaping the theological landscape of the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Al-Ghazali

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Al-Ghazali.

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 Al-Ghazali 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 Al-Ghazali 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 Al-Ghazali was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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