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

Iskander, 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 Iskander surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Iskander in America

Iskander is the 29528th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Iskander surname appeared 799 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 Iskander.

We can also compare 2010 data for Iskander 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 Iskander

The surname ISKANDER has its origins in the Middle East and Central Asia, with roots dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the name "Iskandar," which is the Arabicized version of the Greek name "Alexander," meaning "defender of men."

The earliest known reference to the name ISKANDER can be traced back to Alexander the Great, the renowned Macedonian king who conquered a vast empire stretching from Greece to India in the 4th century BC. His legendary exploits and military campaigns played a significant role in spreading the name across the regions he conquered.

During the medieval period, the name ISKANDER gained prominence in the Islamic world, particularly in Persia (modern-day Iran) and the surrounding regions. It was adopted by several notable figures, including the renowned Persian poet and philosopher Iskandar al-Rumi (1203-1292), who wrote extensively on Sufi mysticism and philosophy.

In the 13th century, the name ISKANDER appeared in the literary masterpiece "Shahnameh" (Book of Kings), written by the celebrated Persian poet Ferdowsi. This epic poem chronicled the history of the Persian kings and played a crucial role in preserving the cultural heritage of the region.

During the Ottoman Empire, the name ISKANDER was widely used among the ruling elite and aristocracy. One of the most notable figures bearing this name was Iskander Beg (1384-1438), a powerful military commander and statesman who served under the Ottoman Sultan Murad II.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Iskander Mirza (1899-1969), the first President of Pakistan, who played a pivotal role in the country's early political landscape after its independence from British rule in 1947.

Other notable individuals with the surname ISKANDER include:

1. Iskander Yenikeyev (1905-1988), a Soviet military officer and Hero of the Soviet Union during World War II.
2. Iskander Fazliyev (1919-2007), a Soviet and Uzbek film director and screenwriter, known for his contributions to the Uzbek film industry.
3. Iskander Polumisin (1913-1996), a Soviet military officer and Hero of the Soviet Union during World War II.
4. Iskander Gililov (1856-1935), a Tatar scholar, educator, and public figure, who played a significant role in the cultural and educational development of the Tatar community in the Russian Empire.
5. Iskander Utkin (born 1958), a Russian businessman and philanthropist, known for his involvement in various charitable initiatives.

While the surname ISKANDER has its roots in the ancient world, it continues to be a prominent name in various parts of the Middle East, Central Asia, and beyond, carrying a rich legacy and cultural significance across generations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Iskander

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!