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

Alvi, 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 Alvi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Alvi in America

Alvi is the 30076th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Alvi surname appeared 780 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 Alvi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Alvi 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 Alvi

The surname Alvi has its origins in the Indian subcontinent. It is believed to have originated from the Sanskrit word "Alavi," which means "one who belongs to the lineage of Ali," the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad. The name is primarily found among Muslims, particularly those of Arab descent or those who trace their ancestry back to the Arabian Peninsula.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Alvi can be found in the Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri, a memoir written by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir in the early 17th century. The text mentions an individual named Alvi Khan, who held a prominent position in the imperial court. However, the exact details of his life and background remain somewhat obscure.

In the later centuries, the name Alvi gained prominence in various parts of South Asia, particularly in regions with significant Muslim populations. One notable bearer of the name was Syed Ahmed Alvi, a prominent Indian Muslim scholar and poet who lived in the 19th century (1786-1858). He was widely renowned for his contributions to Urdu literature and his works on Islamic theology.

Another influential figure associated with the name Alvi was Sir Muhammed Iqbal (1877-1938), often referred to as Allama Iqbal or the "Spiritual Father of Pakistan." Although his surname was not Alvi, he was born into a family with the ancestral name of Alvi, which was later changed to Iqbal.

In more recent times, the name Alvi has been carried by several notable personalities, such as Dr. Arif Alvi (born 1949), the current President of Pakistan. Additionally, Mamnoon Hussain Alvi (born 1940) served as the President of Pakistan from 2013 to 2018.

Another prominent individual with the surname Alvi is Sajjad Hussain Alvi (1930-2021), a renowned Pakistani artist and calligrapher who was awarded the prestigious Pride of Performance award by the Pakistani government in recognition of his contributions to the arts.

While the name Alvi has its roots in the Indian subcontinent, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. However, its historical significance and connection to the Islamic faith and Arab ancestry remain deeply embedded in its origins and continued usage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Alvi

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

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

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

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