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

Ghali, 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 Ghali surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ghali in America

Ghali is the 49268th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ghali surname appeared 427 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 Ghali.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ghali 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 Ghali

The surname Ghali has its origins tracing back to the Arabic language and regions of North Africa, particularly Egypt. It is derived from the Arabic word "ghali," meaning "precious" or "valuable." The name likely emerged in the early medieval period, around the 7th to 10th centuries CE, during the Islamic Golden Age when Arabic culture and language spread across the region.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Ghali can be found in the Kitab al-Buldan, a 9th-century geographical work by Ibn al-Faqih al-Hamadhani, which lists various place names and individuals from North Africa and the Levant. The name appears in reference to a notable scholar or official from the region, though exact details are scarce.

In the 13th century, the name Ghali gained prominence through the renowned Arab philosopher and theologian Safi al-Din al-Hilli, also known as Allamah al-Hilli (1250-1325). He was a prolific writer and a leading figure in the Shia Islamic tradition, authoring numerous works on philosophy, theology, and jurisprudence.

Another notable figure with the surname Ghali was the 14th-century Arab historian and traveler Ibn Battuta (1304-1369). Born in Tangier, Morocco, he is renowned for his extensive travels across Africa, Asia, and Europe, documented in his famous travelogue, the Rihla.

During the Ottoman Empire's rule over parts of North Africa and the Levant, the name Ghali continued to be used, particularly among scholars and officials. One example is Mustafa Ghali Pasha (1766-1841), an Ottoman statesman and reformer who served as the governor of several provinces in the Levant and Egypt.

The name Ghali also found its way to the Indian subcontinent, likely brought by Arab traders and settlers. One prominent figure was the 19th-century Indian Muslim scholar and reformer Sayyid Ahmed Khan Ghali (1817-1898), who played a significant role in the intellectual and social movements of his time.

Throughout history, the surname Ghali has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, philosophers, historians, officials, and travelers, reflecting the diverse cultural and intellectual heritage of the Arabic-speaking world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ghali

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

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

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

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