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

Alim, 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 Alim surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Alim in America

Alim is the 42308th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Alim surname appeared 513 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 Alim.

We can also compare 2010 data for Alim 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 Alim

The surname "ALIM" is believed to have originated in the Middle East, particularly in the Arab world, during the 7th century CE. It is derived from the Arabic word "alim," which means "scholar" or "learned person." This name was likely given to individuals who were renowned for their knowledge and scholarly pursuits in various fields, such as religion, literature, or science.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname "ALIM" can be found in medieval Islamic manuscripts and historical records from the 8th and 9th centuries. These documents often mention scholars and religious figures bearing this name, highlighting their contributions to the intellectual and cultural landscape of the time.

One notable figure from the 9th century was Abu Bakr al-Alim, a celebrated scholar of hadith (Islamic tradition) and fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence). He was born in Baghdad around 810 CE and studied under renowned scholars of his time, eventually becoming a respected authority in his field.

In the 11th century, a renowned Persian scholar and poet named Abu'l-Ala al-Alim gained prominence for his work in the field of literature and philosophy. He was born in Merv (present-day Turkmenistan) in 1020 CE and is known for his intricate poetic style and philosophical writings.

During the 12th century, the name "ALIM" appeared in various historical records from the Islamic world, including the works of the renowned historian Ibn Khaldun. One prominent individual bearing this name was Shams al-Din al-Alim, a scholar of Islamic law and theology who lived in Damascus during the late 12th century.

As the Islamic civilization spread across various regions, the surname "ALIM" also found its way into different cultures and languages. For instance, in the Indian subcontinent, the name was adopted and adapted to local linguistic traditions, resulting in variations such as "Alam" and "Aalim."

One notable figure from the Indian subcontinent was Shah Waliullah al-Alim, a renowned Islamic scholar and reformer who lived in the 18th century. He was born in 1703 CE in Delhi and made significant contributions to the revival of Islamic thought and education in the region.

Throughout history, the surname "ALIM" has been associated with individuals who have made significant contributions to various fields of knowledge, ranging from religion and philosophy to literature and science. While the name may have undergone minor variations in spelling or pronunciation across different cultures and regions, its essence remains rooted in the recognition of scholarly pursuits and intellectual achievements.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Alim

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

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

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

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