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

Iman, 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 Iman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Iman in America

Iman is the 17502nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Iman surname appeared 1,610 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Iman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Iman 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 Iman

The surname IMAN is of Arabic origin, derived from the word "iman" which means "faith" or "belief" in Arabic. This name is most commonly found among Muslim communities, particularly in the Middle East and South Asia.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname IMAN can be traced back to the 7th century CE, during the time of the Islamic conquests and the spread of Islam across the Middle East and North Africa. Some historical records suggest that the name was initially given as a descriptive title to individuals who displayed exceptional devotion and piety to the Islamic faith.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname IMAN was Abu Iman al-Bukhari, a renowned Islamic scholar and hadith collector who lived from 810 to 870 CE. His seminal work, "Sahih al-Bukhari," is considered one of the most authentic collections of prophetic traditions in Islamic literature.

During the medieval period, the surname IMAN gained prominence among Muslim dynasties and ruling families. One notable example is Iman al-Din Mahmud Shah, who ruled the Bengal Sultanate in the late 15th century (1459-1474 CE). His name, which translates to "Faith of Religion," reflected the importance placed on Islamic values during his reign.

In the 16th century, the surname IMAN appeared in various historical records from the Ottoman Empire. One significant figure was Iman Mustafa Pasha, a grand vizier who served under Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent from 1555 to 1561 CE.

As Islam spread to other regions, the surname IMAN also found its way into different cultures and societies. In South Asia, for instance, the IMAN surname can be traced back to the arrival of Muslim traders and scholars during the medieval period. One notable individual with this surname was Mir Iman, a prominent Sufi saint and poet who lived in the 16th century in present-day Pakistan.

Throughout history, the surname IMAN has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, rulers, poets, and religious figures. While the name itself holds deep spiritual significance within the Islamic tradition, it has also become a symbol of cultural identity and pride for many families and communities around the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Iman

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

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

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

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