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

Alhaj, 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 Alhaj surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Alhaj in America

Alhaj is the 54990th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Alhaj surname appeared 374 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 Alhaj.

We can also compare 2010 data for Alhaj 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 Alhaj

The surname ALHAJ finds its origins in the Arabic language, traced back to the Middle East and parts of North Africa. This name is derived from the Arabic word "Al-Hajj," which translates to "the pilgrim" or "one who has undertaken the pilgrimage to Mecca." The name's roots can be traced back to the 7th century AD, during the early years of Islam's spread across the Arabian Peninsula and surrounding regions.

Historical records indicate that the name ALHAJ was first associated with individuals who had completed the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, known as the Hajj. This pilgrimage is one of the five pillars of Islam and is considered a sacred duty for all able-bodied Muslims to undertake at least once in their lifetime. The name served as a mark of honor and distinction for those who had fulfilled this religious obligation.

One of the earliest known references to the name ALHAJ can be found in the ancient Arabic manuscript Al-Muqaddimah, written by the renowned historian and philosopher Ibn Khaldun in the 14th century. This work documented the lives and achievements of prominent Muslim scholars and leaders, including several individuals bearing the surname ALHAJ.

Throughout history, several notable figures have carried the surname ALHAJ. One such individual was Al-Hajj Umar Tall (1794-1864), a Tukulor Muslim leader and religious scholar who founded the Toucouleur Empire in West Africa. Another prominent figure was Al-Hajj Salim Al-Suwaidi (1892-1959), a renowned pearl merchant and philanthropist from the United Arab Emirates.

In the realm of literature, the name ALHAJ is associated with the Egyptian writer and journalist Al-Hajj Muhammad Al-Aqqad (1889-1964), known for his influential works on Arabic literature and Islamic thought. Additionally, Al-Hajj Malik Al-Shabazz, better known as Malcolm X (1925-1965), was an influential African-American Muslim minister and human rights activist who adopted the surname ALHAJ after his pilgrimage to Mecca in 1964.

The name ALHAJ has also been found in various historical records and documents across the Middle East and North Africa, often associated with prominent families, scholars, and religious figures. While the spelling and pronunciation may have varied slightly across different regions, the name's underlying meaning and significance remained consistent.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Alhaj

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

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

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

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