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

Haniff, 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 Haniff surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Haniff in America

Haniff is the 38902nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Haniff surname appeared 567 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 Haniff.

We can also compare 2010 data for Haniff 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 Haniff

The surname "HANIFF" originates from the Arabic language and is believed to have roots dating back to the 7th century AD, during the early Islamic era. It is thought to have derived from the Arabic word "Hanif," which means "true believer" or "one who follows the straight path."

The name is closely associated with the Arabian Peninsula, particularly the regions of modern-day Saudi Arabia and the surrounding Gulf states. It is believed that early bearers of this surname may have been among the first followers of Islam or individuals who embraced the religion during its formative years.

Historical records and manuscripts from the medieval period provide some of the earliest documented instances of the surname "HANIFF." One notable example is found in the writings of the renowned Islamic scholar and traveler, Ibn Battuta, who lived in the 14th century. In his travelogues, he mentions encountering individuals with the surname "HANIFF" during his journeys across the Arab world.

The earliest recorded individual with the surname "HANIFF" is believed to be Al-Hanif Ibn Qays, who lived in the 6th century AD and was a prominent Arab poet and philosopher. He was known for his rejection of idolatry and his search for monotheistic truth, which aligned with the principles of the emerging Islamic faith.

Another notable figure bearing the surname "HANIFF" was Abu Bakr al-Hanafi, a renowned Islamic scholar and jurist who lived during the 9th century AD. He was a prominent figure in the Hanafi school of Islamic jurisprudence and made significant contributions to the interpretation of Islamic law.

In the 12th century, a prominent Islamic philosopher and physician named Ibn Rushd, also known as Averroes, was born in Cordoba, Spain. His full name was Abu al-Walid Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Rushd al-Hanifi, highlighting his connection to the "HANIFF" surname.

During the 13th century, a Syrian scholar and historian named Ibn al-Hanifi left a lasting impact with his comprehensive work on the history of Damascus, titled "Al-Uns al-Jalil bi-Tarikh al-Quds wa-al-Khalil" (The Glorious History of Jerusalem and Hebron).

In more recent centuries, the surname "HANIFF" has been associated with notable figures, such as the 19th-century Indian Muslim scholar and reformer, Syed Ahmed Khan Bahadur al-Hanifi, who played a significant role in promoting modern education and social reforms within the Muslim community.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Haniff

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

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

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

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