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

Irani, 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 Irani surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Irani in America

Irani is the 26110th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Irani surname appeared 938 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 Irani.

We can also compare 2010 data for Irani 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 Irani

The surname Irani is of Persian origin, deriving from the word "Iran," which means "the land of the Aryans" in Persian. The name is believed to have its roots in the ancient Persian Empire, which spanned across various regions of modern-day Iran, Afghanistan, and parts of Central Asia.

One of the earliest known references to the name Irani can be found in the ancient Persian texts, particularly in the Shahnameh, a literary masterpiece written by the renowned Persian poet Ferdowsi in the late 10th century. The epic poem mentions various characters with the surname Irani, suggesting its widespread use during that era.

In the medieval period, the name Irani appeared in several historical records, including the writings of Persian scholars and travelers. One notable figure was Abu Rayhan al-Biruni, a renowned Persian scholar and polymath who lived from 973 to 1048 CE. He was known for his contributions to various fields, including mathematics, astronomy, and geography.

During the Safavid Dynasty, which ruled Persia from 1501 to 1736, the surname Irani gained further prominence. Several influential figures from this period bore the name, including Mirza Mohammad Khan Irani, a prominent military commander and statesman who lived in the 17th century.

Another notable individual with the surname Irani was Mirza Reza Irani, a renowned Persian calligrapher and artist who lived in the 18th century. His exquisite calligraphic works and paintings are still celebrated and preserved in various museums around the world.

In the 19th century, the name Irani continued to be associated with notable figures from the region. One such individual was Mirza Mohammad Reza Irani, a prominent Persian diplomat and statesman who served as the ambassador to several European countries during the Qajar Dynasty.

Over the centuries, variations of the name Irani have also emerged, reflecting the diverse linguistic and cultural influences within the region. Some of these variations include Irani, Erani, and Eirani, among others.

It is important to note that while the surname Irani is predominantly associated with individuals of Persian descent, it has also been adopted by individuals from other ethnic and cultural backgrounds, particularly those with connections to the Persian cultural sphere or the Iranian region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Irani

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

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

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

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