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

Assouline, 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 Assouline surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Assouline in America

Assouline is the 135593rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Assouline surname appeared 124 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 Assouline.

The history of the last name Assouline

The surname Assouline has its origins in the Sephardic Jewish communities of North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula. It is derived from the Hebrew word "ashulin," which means "little sun" or "little light." The name first emerged during the Middle Ages in regions like Morocco, Algeria, and Spain.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Assouline can be found in medieval Spanish documents, where it appeared as "Assolin" or "Asolin." This variation likely arose due to the influence of the Spanish language on the pronunciation and spelling of the name.

In the 15th century, during the Spanish Inquisition, many Sephardic Jews were forced to flee the Iberian Peninsula, seeking refuge in various parts of the Mediterranean and North Africa. It was during this period that the Assouline name became more widespread across these regions.

Notable individuals with the surname Assouline include Rabbi Isaac Assouline (1617-1679), a prominent Talmudic scholar and kabbalist from Fez, Morocco. Another prominent figure was Jacob Assouline (1830-1898), a Moroccan-born Jewish merchant and philanthropist who helped establish Jewish communities in the United States and Canada.

In the 19th century, the Assouline family played a significant role in the Jewish community of Tangier, Morocco. One member, Abraham Assouline (1824-1901), was a respected philanthropist and community leader.

The name Assouline also has historical ties to the town of Assilah (formerly known as Assouline) in northern Morocco, which was once home to a thriving Jewish community. It is possible that some branches of the Assouline family originated from this town.

Other notable individuals with the surname Assouline include Prosper Assouline (1865-1942), a French-Algerian writer and journalist, and Stéphane Assouline (born 1957), a French publisher and founder of the luxury book publishing house Assouline Publishing.

Throughout its history, the surname Assouline has been associated with various professions, including rabbinical scholars, merchants, philanthropists, and writers, reflecting the diverse experiences and contributions of those who carried this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Assouline

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

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

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

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