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

Chalabi, 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 Chalabi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chalabi in America

Chalabi is the 99378th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chalabi surname appeared 182 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 Chalabi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chalabi 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 Chalabi

The surname Chalabi has its origins in the Middle East, specifically in the region that is now modern-day Iraq. The name can be traced back to the 7th century AD, during the early years of the Islamic caliphate. It is believed to be derived from the Arabic word "chalabi," which means a person of noble or aristocratic descent.

One of the earliest known references to the Chalabi name can be found in the writings of the renowned Arab historian and geographer, Al-Masudi, who lived in the 10th century AD. He mentions a family of Chalabis who were prominent landowners and influential figures in the region around Baghdad.

In the 11th century, the Chalabi name gained further prominence when a member of the family, Abu al-Qasim al-Chalabi, became the chief minister (vizier) to the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mustansir Billah. This position of power and influence brought great prestige to the Chalabi family.

Throughout the medieval period, the Chalabi name continued to be associated with prominent families and individuals in the region. One notable example is Yahya al-Chalabi, a renowned scholar and poet who lived in the 13th century and was renowned for his mastery of Arabic literature.

In the 16th century, a member of the Chalabi family, Ibrahim al-Chalabi, was appointed as the governor of Baghdad by the Ottoman Empire. This appointment further solidified the family's status and influence in the region.

Another notable figure bearing the Chalabi surname was Ahmad Chalabi (1944-2015), a controversial Iraqi politician and businessman who played a significant role in the lead-up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq by the United States. He was a key member of the Iraqi National Congress, an opposition group that provided intelligence to the US government regarding alleged weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

Throughout history, the Chalabi name has been associated with nobility, scholarship, and political influence in the Middle East, particularly in Iraq. While the name may have evolved and taken on different spellings over time, its roots can be traced back to the early Islamic era, where it gained prominence as a symbol of aristocratic lineage and power.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chalabi

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

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

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

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