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

Barakzai, 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 Barakzai surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Barakzai in America

Barakzai is the 151532nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Barakzai surname appeared 108 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 Barakzai.

The history of the last name Barakzai

The surname BARAKZAI originates from Afghanistan and dates back to the 18th century. It is derived from the Pashtun tribal name "Barakzai," which itself comes from the ancient Persian word "baraka," meaning "blessing" or "grace." The Barakzai tribe was a powerful and influential group within the larger Durrani confederacy that ruled over much of modern-day Afghanistan and Pakistan during the 18th and 19th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded references to the BARAKZAI name can be found in historical accounts of the Afghan ruler Dost Mohammad Khan (1793-1863), who belonged to the Barakzai clan. He rose to power in the early 19th century and became the Emir of Afghanistan, ruling from 1826 to 1863. His reign was marked by ongoing conflicts with the British Empire during the First Anglo-Afghan War (1839-1842) and the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878-1880).

Another notable figure with the BARAKZAI surname was Wazir Akbar Khan (1816-1845), who was the son of Dost Mohammad Khan. He played a significant role in the First Anglo-Afghan War, leading Afghan forces against British troops and capturing the British envoy, Sir William Hay Macnaghten, whom he later had executed.

The BARAKZAI name has also been associated with several other historical figures, including Sardar Mohammad Azam Khan (1834-1869), who served as the Governor of Kabul under Dost Mohammad Khan, and Sardar Mohammad Yusuf Khan (1832-1892), who was a prominent military leader and served as the Governor of Kandahar.

In more recent times, the BARAKZAI surname has been carried by individuals such as Abdul Ahad Barakzai (1922-2009), who was a prominent Afghan politician and served as the President of Afghanistan from 1973 to 1974. Additionally, Abdul Rahim Barakzai (1926-2022) was a prominent Afghan writer, journalist, and intellectual who played a significant role in the literary and cultural life of Afghanistan during the 20th century.

While the BARAKZAI surname has its roots in Afghanistan and is closely tied to the country's history and culture, it has also been carried by individuals of Afghan descent living in other parts of the world, particularly in neighboring regions and countries with significant Afghan diaspora communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Barakzai

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

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

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

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