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

Fatemi, 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 Fatemi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fatemi in America

Fatemi is the 54296th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fatemi surname appeared 380 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 Fatemi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fatemi 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 Fatemi

The surname FATEMI has its origins in Persia (modern-day Iran). The name can be traced back to the 9th century AD and is derived from the Arabic word "fatimi," meaning a follower or descendant of Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad.

FATEMI was initially used as a designation for those who followed the Fatimid caliphate, a Shia Muslim dynasty that ruled over vast territories in North Africa, Sicily, and parts of the Middle East between the 10th and 12th centuries. The Fatimids were descendants of Fatima and her husband, Ali, the fourth caliph of Islam.

One of the earliest known references to the name FATEMI can be found in the writings of Al-Muqaddasi, a 10th-century Arab geographer and traveler. In his work, "Ahsan al-Taqasim fi Ma'rifat al-Aqalim" (The Best Divisions for Knowledge of the Regions), he mentions the Fatimid dynasty and their followers, known as the Fatimiyun or Fatemi.

The surname FATEMI gained prominence during the reign of the Fatimid caliphs, who established their capital in Cairo, Egypt, in the late 10th century. Many individuals with the surname FATEMI held prominent positions within the Fatimid administration and military ranks. One notable example is Al-Muayyad fi'l-Din al-Shirazi (1000-1078), a Persian poet, philosopher, and vizier who served under the Fatimid caliph Al-Mustansir.

Another influential figure with the surname FATEMI was Nasir al-Din al-Tusi (1201-1274), a renowned Persian polymath, philosopher, and scientist who made significant contributions to various fields, including mathematics, astronomy, and theology. He served as a court scholar under the Ismaili Nizari branch of the Fatimids.

In more recent times, notable individuals with the surname FATEMI include Sadegh Fatemi (1891-1964), an Iranian politician and diplomat who served as the Prime Minister of Iran from 1951 to 1953, and Mohsen Fatemi (1935-2017), an Iranian writer and scholar known for his works on Persian literature and culture.

While the surname FATEMI originated in Persia and was closely associated with the Fatimid caliphate, it has since spread to other regions and communities, particularly within the Shia Muslim world. The name has undergone various spellings and variations over the centuries, but its connection to the legacy of Fatima and the Fatimid dynasty remains a significant part of its historical and cultural significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fatemi

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

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

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

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