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

Alimi, 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 Alimi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Alimi in America

Alimi is the 51610th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Alimi surname appeared 403 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 Alimi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Alimi 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 Alimi

The surname Alimi has its origins in West Africa, specifically Nigeria, where it can be traced back to the 15th century. It is derived from the Arabic word "Alim," meaning "scholar" or "learned person." This suggests that the name was likely bestowed upon individuals who were renowned for their knowledge and scholarly pursuits.

The earliest records of the Alimi surname can be found in historical documents from the ancient city-states of the Hausa people in northern Nigeria. These city-states, such as Kano, Katsina, and Zaria, were centers of Islamic learning and scholarship during the medieval period. It is believed that the name Alimi may have originated among scholars and religious leaders who played a significant role in the spread of Islam and the preservation of knowledge in these regions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Alimi name can be found in the writings of the renowned Hausa scholar and historian, Al-Maghili, who lived in the 15th century. Al-Maghili documented the lives and works of several prominent scholars from the region, including individuals with the surname Alimi.

In the 16th century, the Alimi surname gained prominence in the Bornu Empire, which encompassed parts of modern-day northeastern Nigeria, Chad, and Niger. The Bornu Empire was known for its rich intellectual and cultural traditions, and the Alimi name was associated with scholars, poets, and religious leaders who contributed to this vibrant intellectual landscape.

Notable individuals with the surname Alimi include Muhammadu Alimi, a 17th-century scholar and jurist from the city of Kano, who was renowned for his expertise in Islamic jurisprudence. Another prominent figure was Uthman Alimi, a 19th-century poet and philosopher from the Sokoto Caliphate, whose works explored themes of spirituality and human existence.

The Alimi surname can also be found in historical records from the ancient Oyo Empire, located in present-day southwestern Nigeria. In the 18th century, the Oyo Empire was a major center of Yoruba culture and learning, and the Alimi name was associated with scholars and intellectuals who played a crucial role in preserving and disseminating knowledge within the empire.

Throughout the centuries, the Alimi surname has been carried by individuals from various regions of West Africa, including Ghana, Togo, and Benin, where it has maintained its connection to scholarship and intellectual pursuits.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Alimi

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

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

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

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