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

Banayat, 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 Banayat surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Banayat in America

Banayat is the 129047th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Banayat surname appeared 132 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 Banayat.

The history of the last name Banayat

The surname Banayat is believed to have originated in the Indian subcontinent, possibly in the northern regions of India or Pakistan. The name's etymological roots can be traced back to the Sanskrit language, where "bana" means "arrow" and "yat" means "to go" or "to move." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to an archer or someone skilled in archery, potentially relating to a military or hunting profession.

The earliest recorded instances of the Banayat surname can be found in historical documents dating back to the 16th century, during the Mughal Empire's rule in the Indian subcontinent. The name appears to have been prevalent among certain communities in present-day northern India and Pakistan. Some of the earliest known individuals bearing the Banayat surname include Malik Banayat Khan, a prominent military commander who served under the Mughal Emperor Akbar in the late 16th century.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Banayat surname was associated with several notable figures. One such individual was Mirza Banayat Ali Khan, a renowned poet and scholar who lived during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II in the late 18th century. Another notable bearer of the name was Nawab Banayat Khan, a wealthy landowner and philanthropist from the princely state of Awadh in the early 19th century.

As the Indian subcontinent underwent various historical events, such as the British colonial rule and the subsequent partition of India and Pakistan, the Banayat surname spread to different regions. In the 20th century, several individuals with the Banayat surname gained recognition in various fields. For instance, Syed Banayat Hussain was a prominent Pakistani politician and diplomat who served as the country's Foreign Minister in the 1970s.

Other notable individuals with the Banayat surname include:

1. Hakim Mohammad Banayat Ali Khan (1884-1958), an Indian Unani physician and author from Lucknow.
2. Amir Banayat Khan (1928-2005), an Indian classical musician and sarod player from the Senia Gharana.
3. Shafqat Banayat (born 1969), a Pakistani cricketer who played Test cricket for the national team in the 1990s.
4. Zainab Banayat (born 1981), a Pakistani artist and sculptor known for her contemporary artwork.
5. Adnan Banayat (born 1985), an Indian-American entrepreneur and technology executive based in Silicon Valley.

While the Banayat surname has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. The name continues to be associated with its historical roots and cultural heritage, reflecting the rich tapestry of names and their meanings across different regions and ethnicities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Banayat

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

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

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

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