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

Islam, 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 Islam surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Islam in America

Islam is the 3354th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Islam surname appeared 10,670 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Islam.

We can also compare 2010 data for Islam 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 Islam

The surname Islam has its origins in the Arabic language, and it is believed to have been derived from the word "al-Islam," which means "submission to God" or "peace." The name is closely associated with the religion of Islam, which was founded in the 7th century in the Arabian Peninsula.

The earliest known use of the surname Islam can be traced back to the medieval period, when it was commonly used by Arab and Persian Muslims. During this time, the Islamic world was experiencing a golden age of intellectual and cultural achievements, and many prominent scholars, poets, and philosophers bore the surname Islam.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Islam was Abu Nasr al-Islam, a renowned Persian scholar and poet who lived in the 10th century. He was known for his contributions to the fields of literature, philosophy, and theology.

Another notable figure was Ibn al-Islam, a 12th-century Arab philosopher and theologian from Andalusia (modern-day Spain). He is best known for his works on Islamic jurisprudence and his commentary on the Qur'an.

In the 13th century, the name Islam appeared in various historical records and manuscripts, including the writings of the famous Persian poet and mystic Jalal al-Din Rumi. One of Rumi's disciples, Shams al-Islam, was also known by this surname.

During the Ottoman Empire, which ruled over vast territories in the Middle East, North Africa, and Eastern Europe from the 14th to the 20th century, the surname Islam was widely used among Muslim communities. One prominent figure from this period was Piri Reis, a famous Ottoman admiral, cartographer, and geographer who lived in the 16th century.

In the Indian subcontinent, the surname Islam gained popularity among Muslim communities during the Mughal Empire, which ruled over much of the region from the 16th to the 19th century. One notable individual with this surname was Wazir Khan, a powerful Mughal governor and military commander who lived in the 17th century and is known for commissioning the construction of the iconic Wazir Khan Mosque in Lahore, Pakistan.

Over the centuries, the surname Islam has spread to various parts of the world, carried by Muslim communities and individuals. It has become a common surname among Muslims in regions such as South Asia, Southeast Asia, and parts of Africa, reflecting the global reach of the Islamic faith and cultural influence.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Islam

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

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

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

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