Find out how popular the last name Askari is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Askari.
A surname derived from the Persian word meaning "soldier" or "warrior."
Askari, 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 Askari surname is from the 2010 census data.
Askari is the 40432nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Askari surname appeared 541 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 Askari.
We can also compare 2010 data for Askari 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.
| 2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | 40432 | 48776 | -18.71% |
| Count | 541 | 406 | 28.51% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.18 | 0.15 | 18.18% |
The surname Askari has its origins in the Arabic language, deriving from the word 'askar' which translates to 'soldier' or 'military'. This name is believed to have first emerged in the Middle East, particularly in regions with significant Arab influence during the medieval period.
In the historical context, the term 'askari' was widely used to refer to soldiers or military personnel in various Islamic empires and kingdoms. The surname Askari likely originated as a descriptive name, identifying individuals who were part of the armed forces or had a military occupation.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Askari surname can be found in the chronicles of the Mamluk Sultanate, a medieval Muslim empire that ruled over Egypt, Syria, and parts of the Arabian Peninsula from the 13th to the 16th centuries. The Mamluks, who were initially enslaved soldiers of Central Asian and Circassian origin, played a significant role in shaping the political and military landscape of the region.
During the Ottoman Empire, which spanned from the 14th to the early 20th century, the term 'askari' was also commonly used to refer to soldiers or armed guards. This suggests that the Askari surname may have gained further prominence and spread across the territories under Ottoman rule, including parts of the Middle East, North Africa, and the Balkans.
One notable individual bearing the Askari surname was Abdul Aziz Askari (1858-1921), a prominent Iraqi politician and intellectual who played a crucial role in the Iraqi nationalist movement during the late Ottoman period and the early years of the British Mandate of Mesopotamia.
Another historical figure with the Askari surname was Muhammad Askari (1892-1958), an Iranian military officer and politician who served as the Prime Minister of Iran from 1942 to 1943 during the reign of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran.
In the Indian subcontinent, the Askari surname can also be found among Muslim communities, particularly in regions that were once part of the Mughal Empire or other Islamic dynasties. One notable figure was Mirza Askari (1836-1923), an Indian poet and writer who made significant contributions to Urdu literature.
Beyond the Middle East and South Asia, the Askari surname has also spread to other parts of the world, often carried by individuals or families with roots in these regions. For example, Nizamuddin Askari (1932-2023) was a prominent Afghan diplomat and writer who served as the Afghan Ambassador to several countries, including the United States and India.
It is worth noting that the Askari surname has undergone various spellings and variations over time, reflecting regional linguistic influences and pronunciation differences. However, the core meaning and association with military or soldier remain consistent across these variations.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Askari.
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:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Askari was:
| Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic White Only | 59.89% | 324 |
| Non-Hispanic Black Only | (S)% | (S) |
| Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | 19.41% | 105 |
| Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S) |
| Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | 12.75% | 69 |
| Hispanic Origin | 3.88% | 21 |
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 Askari has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
| 2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 59.89% | 62.07% | -3.57% |
| Black | (S)% | 5.17% | (S)% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 19.41% | 20.94% | -7.58% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | 0.00% | (S)% |
| Two or More Races | 12.75% | 8.13% | 44.25% |
| Hispanic | 3.88% | 3.69% | 5.02% |
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 Askari was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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