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

Elhaj, 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 Elhaj surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Elhaj in America

Elhaj is the 53204th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Elhaj surname appeared 389 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 Elhaj.

We can also compare 2010 data for Elhaj 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 Elhaj

The surname ELHAJ has its origins in the Arabic language and culture. It is believed to have first emerged in the regions of North Africa and the Middle East, particularly in countries such as Morocco, Algeria, and Egypt.

The name ELHAJ is derived from the Arabic word "Hajj," which refers to the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca. It was likely initially bestowed upon individuals or families who had successfully completed this sacred journey, and it served as a honorific title or distinction.

Historical records indicate that variations of the name ELHAJ can be found in ancient Arabic manuscripts and documents dating back to the 8th century AD. These early references often mentioned individuals with this surname in relation to religious texts, scholarly works, or trade records from the region.

One of the earliest notable figures with the surname ELHAJ was Abu Bakr al-Elhaj, a 9th-century Islamic scholar from Cordoba, Al-Andalus (present-day Spain). He was renowned for his contributions to the fields of hadith (prophetic traditions) and Islamic jurisprudence.

In the 11th century, a prominent figure named Ibn al-Elhaj al-Maliki, a scholar and historian from Fez, Morocco, wrote extensively about the history and culture of the Maghreb region. His writings provide valuable insights into the sociopolitical landscape of that era.

During the 13th century, a renowned Sufi mystic and poet, Abul Hasan al-Elhaj al-Shushtari, hailing from Shustar, Persia (present-day Iran), gained recognition for his spiritual writings and teachings. His poetic works continue to be studied and admired within the Sufi tradition.

In the 16th century, a influential figure named Al-Elhaj Ali bin Abi Bakr al-Masudi, from the city of Mas'ud in present-day Yemen, authored several important works on Islamic theology and philosophy. His scholarly contributions were widely respected across the Middle East and North Africa.

Throughout history, the surname ELHAJ has also been associated with various regions and place names, such as Al-Hajjah in Yemen, Al-Hajar in Oman, and Al-Hajjar in Saudi Arabia, further reinforcing its geographic and cultural ties to the Arab world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Elhaj

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

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

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

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