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

Arifin, 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 Arifin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Arifin in America

Arifin is the 126018th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Arifin surname appeared 136 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 Arifin.

The history of the last name Arifin

The surname Arifin is of Arabic origin, derived from the word 'Arif', meaning 'learned' or 'wise'. It is believed to have originated in the Middle East during the Islamic Golden Age, a period of significant cultural, economic, and scientific flourishing in the medieval Islamic world.

Historically, the name Arifin was commonly found in regions with a strong Islamic influence, such as the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, and parts of Central and South Asia. It was often associated with scholars, intellectuals, and those who excelled in various fields of knowledge.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Arifin can be traced back to the 9th century, when a renowned philosopher and mystic named Al-Arifi (780-841 CE) lived in Basra, modern-day Iraq. His writings and teachings had a profound impact on the development of Islamic philosophy and Sufism.

In the 11th century, the name Arifin was mentioned in the "Kitab al-Ansab" (Book of Genealogies), a comprehensive genealogical work compiled by the famous historian and genealogist, al-Sam'ani. This work documented the lineages and family trees of prominent Arab and Persian families, including those bearing the name Arifin.

Another notable figure with the surname Arifin was Khwaja Muhammad Arifin (1438-1505 CE), a revered Sufi saint and scholar from South Asia. He was a prominent figure in the Naqshbandi Sufi order and is credited with spreading Islamic teachings and spirituality throughout the region.

In the 16th century, the name Arifin was associated with the city of Arifin, located in modern-day Uzbekistan. This city was named after a local ruler or prominent figure with the same surname, further solidifying its connection to the region.

During the Ottoman Empire, the name Arifin was found among the scholarly and religious elite, including Arifin Efendi (1642-1719 CE), a renowned Ottoman scholar, poet, and calligrapher who served as the chief tutor to the imperial princes.

In more recent times, Arifin has been a prominent surname in various parts of the world, including Indonesia, Malaysia, and other Southeast Asian countries with significant Muslim populations. Notable individuals bearing this surname include Arifin Zakaria (1906-1979 CE), a renowned Indonesian writer and journalist, and Arifin Idris (1945-2020 CE), a Malaysian politician and former Chief Minister of Kelantan state.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Arifin

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

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

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

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