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

Farooq, 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 Farooq surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Farooq in America

Farooq is the 16295th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Farooq surname appeared 1,770 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Farooq.

We can also compare 2010 data for Farooq 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 Farooq

The surname Farooq has its roots in the Arabic language and is derived from the word "Farouq," which means "the one who distinguishes between truth and falsehood." This name has a rich history and can be traced back to the Middle East and the Islamic tradition.

The earliest known record of the name Farooq dates back to the 7th century, during the time of the Rashidun Caliphate in Arabia. It was associated with the second caliph, Umar ibn al-Khattab, who was given the honorific title "Al-Farooq" for his ability to distinguish between right and wrong.

In the centuries that followed, the name Farooq spread across the Islamic world, from North Africa to Central Asia. It became particularly prevalent in regions with a strong Islamic influence, such as modern-day Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh.

One of the earliest documented instances of the name Farooq can be found in the writings of the famous Islamic scholar and historian, Al-Tabari, who lived from 838 to 923 CE. He recorded the deeds and accomplishments of several individuals bearing the name Farooq.

The name also appears in various historical manuscripts and chronicles from the medieval period, particularly those written in Arabic and Persian. For example, the 11th-century Persian poet and scholar, Firdausi, mentioned a character named Farooq in his epic poem, the Shahnameh.

Over the centuries, the name Farooq has been borne by many notable figures, including:

1. Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib (1797-1869), a renowned Urdu and Persian poet from the Indian subcontinent.
2. Farooq Ahmad (1930-2019), a Pakistani diplomat and former Foreign Secretary of Pakistan.
3. Farooq Abdullah (born 1937), an Indian politician and the former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
4. Farooq Leghari (1940-2010), a Pakistani politician who served as the President of Pakistan from 1993 to 1997.
5. Farooq Sattar (born 1956), a Pakistani politician and former leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) political party.

Despite its Arabic origins, the surname Farooq has found a place in various cultures and communities around the world, reflecting the rich diversity and history of human migration and cultural exchange.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Farooq

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

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

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

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