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

Ghulam, 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 Ghulam surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ghulam in America

Ghulam is the 68547th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ghulam surname appeared 287 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 Ghulam.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ghulam 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 Ghulam

The surname "GHULAM" has its origins in the Arabic language, and it is believed to have originated in the Middle East region, particularly in areas with a significant Muslim population. The name is derived from the Arabic word "ghulam," which means "servant" or "boy."

In the early Islamic period, the term "ghulam" was often used to refer to male slaves or servants. Over time, it became a common practice for freed slaves or servants to adopt the term as part of their surname, signifying their former status. This practice was widespread across various regions where Islam had a strong influence, including parts of South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "GHULAM" can be found in historical texts and manuscripts from the medieval period. For example, the name appears in various Islamic chronicles and records from the 9th to the 13th centuries, particularly in regions under the rule of various Islamic dynasties, such as the Abbasid Caliphate and the Ghaznavid Empire.

In terms of notable historical figures bearing the surname "GHULAM," there are several examples that can be cited:

1. Ghulam Kadir (1456-1529), an Afghan historian and poet who served under the Mughal Empire in India.
2. Ghulam Muhammad Ghubar (1898-1978), an Afghan poet, writer, and politician who served as the Prime Minister of Afghanistan from 1963 to 1965.
3. Ghulam Mustafa Khan (1912-1989), an Indian classical musician and renowned exponent of the Rampur-Sahaswan Gharana, a style of Hindustani classical music.
4. Ghulam Nabi Azad (1901-1992), an Indian politician and scholar who served as the first Education Minister of independent India.
5. Ghulam Qadir Ghilzai (1869-1927), an Afghan military commander and political leader who played a significant role in the Third Anglo-Afghan War.

It's worth noting that the surname "GHULAM" has also been associated with various place names and locations throughout history. For instance, the town of Ghulam Muhammad Abad in Pakistan is believed to have been named after a person bearing the surname "GHULAM." Additionally, there are instances where the surname has been spelled differently, such as "Ghulam," "Ghulami," or "Gholami," reflecting regional variations and linguistic influences.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ghulam

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

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

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

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