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

Daftary, 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 Daftary surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Daftary in America

Daftary is the 120187th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Daftary surname appeared 144 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 Daftary.

We can also compare 2010 data for Daftary 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 Daftary

The surname Daftary is of Persian origin and can be traced back to the 15th century in parts of modern-day Iran and Afghanistan. It is derived from the Persian word "daftar," meaning "register" or "ledger," and originally referred to a record-keeper or scribe.

In the early years, the name was primarily associated with individuals who worked as accountants, bookkeepers, or clerks in administrative or commercial settings. Some historians have suggested that the name may have been adopted by members of the Zoroastrian community, as they were known for their expertise in record-keeping and administrative roles during that period.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Daftary can be found in a 16th-century Persian manuscript detailing the trade routes and commercial activities of merchants in the region. The document refers to a "Daftary Karim" who was responsible for maintaining records of goods and transactions.

As the centuries passed, the Daftary name spread to other parts of the Persian cultural sphere, including present-day Pakistan and India. In the 18th century, a prominent figure named Ardeshir Daftary (1725-1801) gained recognition as a renowned scholar and author of works on Zoroastrian theology and philosophy.

Another notable individual was Feroze Daftary (1847-1923), a prominent businessman and philanthropist from Bombay (now Mumbai), India. He played a significant role in the development of the city's textile industry and was also a generous patron of educational institutions.

In the 20th century, Michael Daftary (1912-1994), an Iranian-born scholar and expert on Ismaili history and theology, made significant contributions to the study of Islamic cultures and traditions.

More recently, Farhad Daftary (born 1938) has gained recognition as a leading authority on Ismaili and Shi'i studies, having authored several influential works on the subject and serving as the co-director of the Institute of Ismaili Studies in London.

Throughout its history, the Daftary surname has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including scholars, businesspeople, and professionals, often reflecting the name's origins in record-keeping and administrative roles.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Daftary

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

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

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

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