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

Ghaffari, 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 Ghaffari surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ghaffari in America

Ghaffari is the 35016th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ghaffari surname appeared 644 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 Ghaffari.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ghaffari 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 Ghaffari

The surname Ghaffari is believed to have originated in Iran, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. The name is derived from the Arabic word "ghaffar," which means "forgiver" or "pardoner," and likely referred to an occupation or personal attribute associated with someone who possessed a forgiving nature or held a position related to granting pardons.

The earliest known record of the Ghaffari surname can be traced back to the 13th century, where it appeared in Persian manuscripts and historical documents. These early mentions suggest that the name was prevalent in regions such as Isfahan, Shiraz, and Qazvin, which were important cultural and administrative centers during the Islamic Golden Age.

One notable figure bearing the Ghaffari name was Sheikh Ali Ghaffari, a revered Sufi scholar and poet who lived in the 15th century. His collection of mystical poetry, known as the "Divan-e Ghaffari," is considered a significant contribution to the rich literary tradition of Persian Sufism.

In the 16th century, the Ghaffari surname gained further prominence with the rise of Mirza Mohammad Ghaffari, a prominent statesman and diplomat who served under the Safavid dynasty. His diplomatic efforts played a crucial role in maintaining regional stability and fostering international relations during a time of political turmoil.

Another historical figure of note was Haji Mirza Ghaffari, a wealthy merchant and philanthropist from Kashan, who lived in the late 18th century. He is remembered for his generous endowments and contributions to the construction of mosques, schools, and public infrastructure in his hometown.

During the 19th century, the Ghaffari surname was also associated with the city of Qom, a prominent center of religious learning and scholarship in Iran. Several notable clerics and scholars hailed from the Ghaffari family, including Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad Ghaffari, a prominent religious authority and author of numerous works on Islamic jurisprudence.

Over the centuries, variations of the Ghaffari surname have emerged, such as Ghaffari-Fard, Ghaffari-Zadeh, and Ghaffarian, reflecting regional linguistic influences and naming traditions. Additionally, the name has been linked to certain place names, such as the village of Ghaffari in the Semnan province of Iran, suggesting a possible connection to a specific geographical location.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ghaffari

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!