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

Diwan, 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 Diwan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Diwan in America

Diwan is the 63524th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Diwan surname appeared 314 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 Diwan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Diwan 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 Diwan

The surname DIWAN has its origins in the Arabic language and is believed to have originated in regions that were once part of the Persian Empire, which spanned modern-day Iran, Afghanistan, and parts of Central Asia. The name is derived from the Persian word "divan," which referred to an official council or administrative body responsible for managing affairs of state.

In the early Islamic era, the term "diwan" was adopted to refer to various administrative departments and offices within the caliphates and sultanates that governed the region. It is likely that the surname DIWAN was initially bestowed upon individuals who held positions within these administrative bodies or were associated with the bureaucratic and clerical classes.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname DIWAN can be traced back to medieval Islamic manuscripts and chronicles, which often listed the names of officials, scholars, and notable individuals. One such individual was Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Diwan, a renowned Arabic grammarian and lexicographer who lived in the 9th century CE.

During the Mughal Empire in India, which ruled from the 16th to the 19th centuries, the term "diwan" was also used to refer to the chief minister or prime minister of the empire. It is possible that some individuals bearing the surname DIWAN may have been descendants of high-ranking officials or administrators who served in the Mughal court.

Another notable figure with the surname DIWAN was Mir Taqi Mir, a celebrated Urdu poet who lived in the 18th century (1723-1810). His poetry and literary contributions played a significant role in the development of the Urdu language and literature during the Mughal era.

In the 19th century, Abd al-Qadir al-Diwan, a prominent Syrian poet and scholar, was known for his works on Arabic language and literature. He was born in Damascus in 1856 and played a vital role in the intellectual and literary circles of the time.

As the surname DIWAN spread across various regions and cultures, it may have undergone minor variations in spelling and pronunciation. For example, in some areas, it may have been spelled as "Dewan" or "Devan," reflecting local linguistic influences and dialects.

While the surname DIWAN has deep historical roots and associations with administrative and scholarly traditions, it is important to note that individuals bearing this name have made contributions across various fields throughout history, including literature, poetry, and intellectual pursuits.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Diwan

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

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

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

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