Faheem last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Faheem

A surname of Arabic origin meaning intelligent, learned, or wise.

Faheem, 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 Faheem surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Faheem in America

Faheem is the 73911th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Faheem surname appeared 262 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 Faheem.

We can also compare 2010 data for Faheem 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 73911 114166 -42.81%
Count 262 142 59.41%
Proportion per 100k 0.09 0.05 57.14%

The history of the last name Faheem

The surname Faheem originated from the Arabic language and is believed to have its roots in the Middle East, particularly in the regions that are now modern-day Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and the surrounding areas. The name is thought to have emerged sometime around the 7th or 8th century AD, during the spread of Islam and the rise of the Arab caliphates.

Faheem is derived from the Arabic word "fahm," which means "understanding" or "comprehension." It is believed to have been initially used as a descriptive name, referring to individuals who were considered wise, knowledgeable, or possessing great understanding. The name may have been bestowed upon scholars, philosophers, or individuals who were highly educated or revered for their intellect.

While there are no definitive records of the earliest use of the surname Faheem, it is likely that it first appeared in written form in various manuscripts, chronicles, and administrative records of the early Islamic caliphates. Some of the earliest recorded examples of individuals bearing the name Faheem can be traced back to the 9th and 10th centuries AD.

One notable historical figure with the surname Faheem was Al-Faheem Al-Kindi, a renowned Arab philosopher, mathematician, and scientist who lived in the 9th century AD (circa 801-873 AD). He is considered one of the first Arab philosophers to synthesize Greek philosophy with Islamic theology and made significant contributions to the fields of optics, cryptography, and medicine.

Another prominent individual was Abu Bakr al-Faheem al-Razi, a Persian physician, philosopher, and alchemist who lived in the 9th and 10th centuries AD (circa 865-925 AD). He was considered a pioneering figure in the field of medicine and wrote numerous treatises on various medical topics, including smallpox and measles.

In the 11th century, there was Ibn Faheem Al-Andalusi, a renowned Arab mathematician and astronomer from Al-Andalus (modern-day Spain). He is known for his work on spherical trigonometry and for his contributions to the development of astronomical instruments and observations.

During the 12th century, a notable figure with the surname Faheem was Al-Faheem Al-Isfahani, a Persian scholar and poet who was highly regarded for his mastery of the Arabic language and his literary works. He is believed to have lived from around 1107 to 1186 AD.

In the 13th century, there was Faheem Al-Din Al-Razi, a Persian philosopher, physician, and polymath who made significant contributions to various fields, including physics, chemistry, and medicine. He is considered one of the most influential thinkers of his time and is credited with numerous innovations and discoveries.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the surname Faheem, demonstrating the rich cultural and intellectual heritage associated with this name. While the name has its origins in the Middle East, it has since spread to various parts of the world, with individuals of diverse backgrounds carrying this surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Faheem

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

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 Faheem was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 23.66% 62
Non-Hispanic Black Only 7.63% 20
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 66.41% 174
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.91% 5
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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 Faheem has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 23.66% 14.79% 46.14%
Black 7.63% 11.27% -38.52%
Asian and Pacific Islander 66.41% 61.97% 6.92%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% 0.00% (S)%
Two or More Races 1.91% 11.97% -144.96%
Hispanic (S)% 0.00% (S)%

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

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

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"Faheem last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 26, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/faheem-surname-popularity/.

"Faheem last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/faheem-surname-popularity/. Accessed 26 December, 2024

Faheem last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/faheem-surname-popularity/.

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