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

Farah, 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 Farah surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Farah in America

Farah is the 5203rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Farah surname appeared 6,718 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Farah.

We can also compare 2010 data for Farah 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 Farah

The surname Farah is believed to have its origins in the Arabic language and is particularly prevalent in the Middle East and North Africa. It is derived from the Arabic word "farah," which means joy, happiness, or delight. The name's roots can be traced back to the 7th century, during the rise of Islam and the expansion of the Arab Empire.

One of the earliest documented instances of the name Farah can be found in the Al-Muqaddasi's book "Ahsan al-Taqasim fi Ma'rifat al-Aqalim" (The Best Divisions for Knowledge of the Regions), written in the 10th century. This work mentions a town called "Farah" in present-day Afghanistan, suggesting that the name may have originated in that region.

During the medieval period, the name Farah appeared in various historical records and manuscripts, particularly in regions under Islamic rule. For instance, in the 12th century, a scholar named Abu'l-Farah al-Isfahani authored a book titled "Kitab al-Aghani" (The Book of Songs), which is considered a significant contribution to Arabic literature and music.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Farah was Muhammad ibn Farah al-Qurtubi, a renowned Islamic scholar and jurist from Cordoba, Spain, who lived in the 12th century. Another notable figure was Abu al-Farah al-Isfahani, a Persian poet and literary critic who lived in the 10th century and was renowned for his work on Arabic poetry and literature.

In the 13th century, a place called "Farah" was mentioned in the writings of the Persian historian Rashid al-Din, indicating that the name may have been derived from a geographic location or settlement. Additionally, during the Ottoman Empire, there were several individuals with the surname Farah who held prominent positions, such as Mehmed Farah Pasha, a 17th-century Ottoman statesman and military commander.

Other notable individuals with the surname Farah include:

1. Ismail Farah (1900-1965), an Egyptian playwright and novelist known for his works that explored social and political issues.
2. Abdisalam Issa-Salwe Farah (1919-2018), a Somali historian, writer, and politician who served as the first president of the Somali National University.
3. Nuruddin Farah (born 1945), a renowned Somali novelist and writer, widely regarded as one of the most influential contemporary African authors.
4. Mo Farah (born 1983), a British long-distance runner and one of the most successful track and field athletes of all time, winning multiple Olympic and World Championship gold medals.
5. Ahmed Farah (born 1978), a Djiboutian middle-distance runner who represented his country in several international competitions, including the Olympic Games.

While the surname Farah has its roots in the Arabic language and culture, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities, making it a surname found in diverse regions and cultures.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Farah

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

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

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

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