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

Aliyu, 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 Aliyu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Aliyu in America

Aliyu is the 157234th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Aliyu surname appeared 103 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 Aliyu.

The history of the last name Aliyu

The surname ALIYU is of Arabic origin, tracing its roots back to the 7th century when the Islamic empire spread across the Middle East and North Africa. It is derived from the Arabic word "Ali," meaning "exalted" or "high," and is often associated with the revered figure of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad.

ALIYU is predominantly found in countries with significant Muslim populations, such as Nigeria, Niger, and parts of West Africa. It is believed that the name was brought to these regions through Arab traders and Islamic scholars during the medieval era, as Islam spread across the African continent.

One of the earliest documented references to the name ALIYU can be found in the historic city of Kano, Nigeria, where it appears in records dating back to the 14th century. The Kano Chronicles, a collection of manuscripts detailing the history of the Hausa people, mention several individuals bearing the surname ALIYU who held prominent positions in the local government and religious establishments.

In the 16th century, a notable figure named Aliyu Dabo is recorded as a revered Islamic scholar and teacher in the ancient city of Katsina, located in present-day northern Nigeria. His teachings and writings greatly influenced the spread of Islam and Islamic education in the region.

Another historically significant individual bearing the surname ALIYU was Aliyu Namangi, a renowned 18th-century scholar and jurist from the Hausa city-state of Zaria. His legal interpretations and rulings had a profound impact on the administration of Islamic law in the region.

In the 19th century, during the Sokoto Caliphate, a large Islamic empire in present-day northern Nigeria and neighboring regions, several prominent figures with the surname ALIYU emerged. One such figure was Aliyu Babba Gwandu, a respected Islamic scholar and military commander who played a key role in the expansion of the Caliphate.

Additionally, the name ALIYU has been associated with various place names across West Africa, such as Aliyu Gari, a town in Bauchi State, Nigeria, and Aliyu Tsamiya, a village in Kano State, Nigeria. These place names reflect the historical presence and influence of individuals bearing the surname ALIYU in these areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Aliyu

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

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 Aliyu 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.

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!