Find out how popular the last name Al-Khatib 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-Khatib.

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

Popularity of Al-Khatib in America

Al-Khatib is the 29138th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Al-Khatib surname appeared 813 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-Khatib.

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

The surname Alkhatib originated in the Arab world, specifically in areas where Arabic is spoken. It dates back to the early centuries of Islam, around the 7th century AD. The name is derived from the Arabic word "khatib," which means "preacher" or "orator."

Alkhatib was initially a title or honorific given to those who excelled in public speaking, particularly in delivering sermons and orations in mosques or other religious gatherings. Over time, this title became a surname adopted by families associated with this profession or known for their oratorical skills.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Alkhatib can be found in historical texts and manuscripts from the Abbasid Caliphate, which ruled a vast territory stretching from North Africa to Central Asia between the 8th and 13th centuries. Notable individuals bearing this surname during this period include Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi (1002-1071), a renowned scholar and compiler of hadith (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad).

In later centuries, the surname Alkhatib spread across various regions of the Arab world, including the Levant, Egypt, and the Arabian Peninsula. It became associated with influential families and scholars, such as Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406), a renowned historian and philosopher from present-day Tunisia, who was also known as Ibn Khaldun al-Khatib.

Another notable figure with the surname Alkhatib was Abu Bakr al-Khatib (1063-1149), a renowned Andalusian poet and scholar from present-day Spain during the reign of the Almoravid dynasty. His literary works and contributions to Islamic scholarship were highly regarded in his time.

In the modern era, the surname Alkhatib has been carried by various individuals across the Arab world, including politicians, academics, and public figures. One example is Abdulaziz al-Khatib (1934-2019), a former Jordanian diplomat and politician who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Jordan from 1979 to 1980.

While the surname Alkhatib has its roots in the Arabic language and Islamic culture, it has also been adopted by individuals and families in other parts of the world, particularly where there are significant Arab or Muslim communities.

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

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

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-Khatib 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-Khatib 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-Khatib 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-Khatib, please contact us.

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