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

Haj, 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 Haj surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Haj in America

Haj is the 72332nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Haj surname appeared 269 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 Haj.

We can also compare 2010 data for Haj 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 Haj

The surname "HAJ" is believed to have its origins in the Middle East, specifically in the Arabic-speaking regions. It is thought to be derived from the Arabic word "Hajj," which refers to the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca. The name likely emerged during the medieval period, when the tradition of taking on surnames became more widespread.

One theory suggests that the surname "HAJ" may have been adopted by individuals who had undertaken the Hajj pilgrimage or were directly associated with those who had completed this religious journey. It could also have been used to denote someone who lived near a route commonly traveled by pilgrims on their way to Mecca.

In the 14th century, there are records of the name appearing in various manuscripts and documents from the region, including some legal documents and trade records. One notable early mention of the name can be found in the writings of the famous Arab historian and traveler Ibn Battuta, who documented his encounters with individuals bearing the surname during his extensive travels across the Muslim world in the 1300s.

The earliest recorded example of the surname "HAJ" can be traced back to the 11th century, when it was mentioned in a manuscript from the city of Baghdad. This document referred to a merchant named Ahmed al-Haj, who was involved in the spice trade along the ancient Silk Road.

Over the centuries, the name has been associated with several notable figures in various fields, including:

1. Mullah Mustafa al-Haj (1637-1701), a renowned Ottoman scholar and philosopher from Damascus.
2. Abdul-Ghani al-Haj (1782-1852), a prominent Arab poet and writer from Lebanon.
3. Khalil al-Haj (1886-1963), a Syrian educator and advocate for women's rights.
4. Mustafa al-Haj (1920-1986), a Palestinian political activist and co-founder of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO).
5. Naji al-Haj (born 1948), a Syrian artist and sculptor known for his monumental public works.

While the surname "HAJ" has its roots in the Arabic-speaking world, it has since spread to various parts of the globe due to migration and diaspora communities. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply tied to the Middle Eastern region and the Islamic tradition of the Hajj pilgrimage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Haj

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

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

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

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