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

Bitar, 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 Bitar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bitar in America

Bitar is the 20949th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bitar surname appeared 1,257 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 Bitar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bitar 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 Bitar

The surname Bitar is of Arabic origin and can be traced back to the Middle East, particularly Lebanon and Syria. It is derived from the Arabic word "bitar," which means "duck" or "water bird." This suggests that the name may have originated from an occupation or a nickname given to someone who worked with ducks or lived near a body of water frequented by these birds.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Bitar surname can be found in the 14th century manuscripts of the Mamluk Sultanate, which ruled over parts of the Middle East from the 13th to the 16th centuries. These manuscripts mention individuals with the surname Bitar, indicating that the name had already been established as a family name by that time.

In the 16th century, the Bitar surname appeared in Ottoman Empire records, particularly in the areas that now encompass modern-day Lebanon and Syria. This further solidified the presence of the Bitar family in the region and their association with the Arabic culture and language.

Notable individuals with the Bitar surname throughout history include:

1. Adib Bitar (1914-1988), a Lebanese writer and journalist known for his contributions to Arabic literature and his advocacy for social and political reforms.

2. Khalil Bitar (1928-2013), a Syrian politician and diplomat who served as the Prime Minister of Syria from 1963 to 1964.

3. Nadim Bitar (1923-2005), a Lebanese physician and academic who made significant contributions to the field of cardiology and medical education in the Middle East.

4. Salim Bitar (1941-2020), a Syrian-born French writer and philosopher, known for his works exploring the intersection of philosophy, literature, and cultural identity.

5. Ziad Bitar (born 1976), a Lebanese-American entrepreneur and investor in the technology industry, co-founder of the venture capital firm Silicon Badia.

While the Bitar surname has its roots in the Middle East, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly through immigration and diaspora communities. However, the historical origins and linguistic ties to the Arabic language remain a significant part of the surname's rich cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bitar

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

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

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

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