Idriss last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Idriss

An Arabic surname possibly derived from the Biblical name "Idris", meaning "learned" or "studious".

Idriss, 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 Idriss surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Idriss in America

Idriss is the 80678th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Idriss surname appeared 235 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 Idriss.

We can also compare 2010 data for Idriss 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 80678 117538 -37.19%
Count 235 137 52.69%
Proportion per 100k 0.08 0.05 46.15%

The history of the last name Idriss

The surname Idriss has its origins in the Arabic world, and it is believed to have first emerged around the 7th century AD during the rise of Islam. The name is derived from the Arabic word "Idris," which means "the learned one" or "the wise one."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Idriss can be found in the Islamic holy book, the Quran, where it is mentioned as the name of a prophet. This prophet, known as Idris, is believed to have lived in ancient times and is often associated with the biblical figure of Enoch.

In the early centuries of Islam, the name Idriss gained popularity among Arab communities, particularly in regions such as the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, and parts of the Middle East. As Islam spread to other parts of the world, the name traveled with it, and variations of the spelling began to emerge.

One notable historical figure with the surname Idriss was Idris I, the founder of the Idrisid dynasty, which ruled parts of modern-day Morocco from 788 to 974 AD. Idris I was a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad and established the city of Fez as his capital.

Another prominent individual with the surname Idriss was Idris II, the son of Idris I, who ruled the Idrisid dynasty from 791 to 828 AD. During his reign, the city of Fez flourished as a center of learning and culture.

In the 12th century, a famous Sufi mystic and scholar named Idris al-Andalusi, born in Ceuta (present-day Spain), gained renown for his teachings and writings on Islamic spirituality.

Moving forward in time, Idriss Boulmallah was a Moroccan freedom fighter who played a significant role in the country's struggle for independence from French colonial rule in the 20th century. He was born in 1909 and became a prominent figure in the Moroccan nationalist movement.

Another notable figure with the surname Idriss was Idriss Anu, a Hausa scholar and writer from northern Nigeria who lived in the early 20th century. He made significant contributions to the preservation and promotion of Hausa literature and culture.

While the surname Idriss is predominantly found in the Arab and Islamic world, it has also spread to other regions through migration and cultural exchange. The name's association with wisdom, learning, and religious significance has contributed to its enduring presence throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Idriss

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

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 Idriss was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 63.83% 150
Non-Hispanic Black Only 29.79% 70
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 5.96% 14
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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 Idriss has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 63.83% 62.04% 2.84%
Black 29.79% 24.09% 21.16%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races 5.96% 11.68% -64.85%
Hispanic (S)% (S)% (S)%

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

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

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"Idriss last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/idriss-surname-popularity/.

"Idriss last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/idriss-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

Idriss last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/idriss-surname-popularity/.

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