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

Ghaffar, 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 Ghaffar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ghaffar in America

Ghaffar is the 50275th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ghaffar surname appeared 416 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 Ghaffar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ghaffar 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 Ghaffar

The surname GHAFFAR is of Arabic origin, derived from the word "ghaffar" which means "forgiver" or "pardoner". This name can be traced back to the early Islamic period, around the 7th century AD, when it was commonly used as a descriptive name for individuals known for their forgiving nature.

The earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in historical manuscripts and records from the Middle East and North Africa. One notable mention is in the "Kitab al-Ansab" (Book of Genealogies) written by the famous Arab historian and genealogist, Al-Sam'ani, in the 11th century.

During the medieval period, the GHAFFAR surname became particularly prevalent in regions such as Egypt, Syria, and the Arabian Peninsula. It was often associated with families of religious scholars, clerics, and notable figures within the Islamic community.

One of the most renowned individuals bearing this surname was Abu Ghaffar al-Kindi, a prominent Arab philosopher and mathematician who lived in the 9th century AD. He made significant contributions to the fields of optics, music theory, and metaphysics.

Another notable figure was Ibn Ghaffar, a 12th-century Arab poet and writer from Andalusia (modern-day Spain). His poetry and literary works were highly regarded and influential during the golden age of Islamic civilization.

In the 14th century, a prominent Muslim scholar and jurist, Shams al-Din al-Ghaffar, gained recognition for his expertise in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) and his writings on legal matters.

The GHAFFAR surname can also be found in various historical records from the Ottoman Empire, such as tax registers and court documents, particularly in regions like Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) and the Levant.

During the 19th century, one of the most notable figures with the surname GHAFFAR was Ghazi Ahmad Khan Ghaffar, a prominent Afghan ruler and military leader who played a significant role in the Afghan-Sikh wars.

While the GHAFFAR surname has its roots in the Arabic language and Islamic culture, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration, trade, and cultural exchange. However, its historical origins and associations with Islamic scholarship and notable figures remain an integral part of its rich heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ghaffar

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

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

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

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