Arapi last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Arapi

Of Albanian origin, referring to someone from Arapi, a village in central Albania.

Arapi, 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 Arapi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Arapi in America

Arapi is the 143149th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Arapi surname appeared 116 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 Arapi.

The history of the last name Arapi

The surname ARAPI is of Albanian origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated in the northern regions of Albania, particularly in the area around the city of Shkodra.

ARAPI is derived from the Albanian word "arap," which means "Arab." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to individuals who had some connection to the Arab world, whether through ancestry, trade, or cultural influences.

Historical records indicate that the name ARAPI first appeared in written documents during the 15th century, when Albania was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. Some of the earliest mentions of this surname can be found in Ottoman tax registers and census records from that era.

One notable figure bearing the name ARAPI was Gjergj Arapi (c. 1592-1670), a Catholic priest and writer from Shkodra. He is known for his contributions to the development of the Albanian language and literature, particularly through his translations of religious texts.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Murat Arapi (1870-1935), an Albanian politician and diplomat. He served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the early years of Albania's independence and played a crucial role in the country's efforts to gain international recognition.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the ARAPI surname gained recognition through the work of Rrok Arapi (1876-1934), an Albanian folklorist and poet. He was instrumental in preserving and promoting Albanian folk traditions and literature.

The name ARAPI can also be found in historical records from Kosovo, where it is believed to have been present since the Ottoman period. One notable figure from this region was Dervish Arapi (1860-1912), a prominent Albanian writer and educator who contributed significantly to the development of Albanian literature and education in Kosovo.

Throughout history, the ARAPI surname has been associated with various notable individuals, scholars, and intellectuals, reflecting its deep roots and cultural significance within the Albanian diaspora.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Arapi

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

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 Arapi was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 97.41% 113
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.00% 0
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Arapi, 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!

"Arapi last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 4, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/arapi-surname-popularity/.

"Arapi last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/arapi-surname-popularity/. Accessed 4 July, 2025

Arapi last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/arapi-surname-popularity/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.