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

Behbahani, 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 Behbahani surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Behbahani in America

Behbahani is the 102197th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Behbahani surname appeared 176 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 Behbahani.

We can also compare 2010 data for Behbahani 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.

The history of the last name Behbahani

The surname BEHBAHANI has its origins in Iran, dating back to the 18th century. It is derived from the city of Behbahan, located in the Khuzestan province of southwestern Iran. The name likely originated as a way to identify individuals who hailed from this particular region.

BEHBAHANI is a toponymic surname, meaning that it is derived from a place name. In this case, the name Behbahan itself is believed to have roots in the Persian language, with some scholars suggesting it may be related to the words "beh" (good) and "bahan" (place or locality), indicating a "good place" or "pleasant location."

Historical records show the earliest known instances of the BEHBAHANI surname appearing in local documents and manuscripts from the Behbahan region during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. One notable mention is found in a collection of poetry from the renowned Iranian poet and scholar, Mohammad Taqi Bahar (1886-1951), who hailed from Behbahan and often used the pen name "Behbahani."

Another prominent figure bearing the BEHBAHANI surname was Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad Behbahani (1706-1793), a prominent Islamic scholar and theologian from Behbahan, known for his contributions to Shia Islamic jurisprudence and philosophy.

In the field of literature, Simin Behbahani (1927-2014) was a highly acclaimed Iranian poet and writer who gained international recognition for her works exploring themes of human rights, feminism, and social justice. She was a recipient of numerous prestigious literary awards and is considered one of the most influential voices in contemporary Persian poetry.

The BEHBAHANI name has also been associated with notable figures in Iranian politics and diplomacy, such as Hossein Behbahani (1904-1994), a former Iranian diplomat and ambassador who served in various roles, including as Iran's ambassador to the United Nations.

Historically, variations in spelling and pronunciation of the BEHBAHANI surname may have occurred due to regional dialects and transliteration from the Persian alphabet to other writing systems. However, the core elements of the name have remained consistent, reflecting its deep-rooted connection to the city of Behbahan and its rich cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Behbahani

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

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 Behbahani 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.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Behbahani has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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

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

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