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

Isma, 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 Isma surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Isma in America

Isma is the 74608th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Isma surname appeared 259 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 Isma.

We can also compare 2010 data for Isma 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 Isma

The surname ISMA is believed to have originated from the Arabic language, specifically from the name Ismail, which means "God hears" or "God listens." The name Ismail is derived from the Semitic root "s-m-'," which means "to hear" or "to listen." The surname ISMA likely emerged as a patronymic surname, indicating a person who was the son or descendant of someone named Ismail.

The earliest recorded use of the surname ISMA can be traced back to the 7th century, when the Islamic conquests spread the Arabic language and culture across vast regions of the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Europe. During this period, many individuals adopted Arabic names, including Ismail, leading to the emergence of the surname ISMA.

In the medieval period, the surname ISMA appeared in various historical records and manuscripts, particularly in regions under Islamic influence or with significant Arabic-speaking populations. For example, the surname can be found in the Cairo Geniza, a collection of medieval manuscripts discovered in the Ben Ezra Synagogue in Cairo, Egypt.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname ISMA was Abu Ismail al-Isma'ili (born circa 840 CE), a Persian Muslim philosopher and scholar who lived in Khurasan (modern-day Afghanistan and parts of Iran). He was a prominent figure in the Ismaili branch of Shia Islam and contributed significantly to the development of Ismaili philosophy and theology.

Another notable individual with the surname ISMA was Ibn Isma'il al-Bukhari (810-870 CE), a renowned Islamic scholar and compiler of hadith (sayings and traditions of the Prophet Muhammad). His work, known as Sahih al-Bukhari, is considered one of the most authoritative and authentic collections of hadith in Sunni Islam.

In the 11th century, the surname ISMA was associated with the Ismaili branch of Shia Islam, particularly in regions like modern-day Iran, Syria, and parts of Central Asia. One prominent figure from this era was Hasan-i Sabbah (circa 1050-1124 CE), a Persian Ismaili missionary and the founder of the Nizari Ismaili state, also known as the Assassins.

During the Ottoman Empire period, the surname ISMA was also found among the Turkish population, particularly in regions with significant Arabic or Persian influence. One notable individual was Ismail Pasha (1539-1615 CE), an Ottoman statesman and governor who served as the Grand Vizier (prime minister) under Sultan Murad III.

In more recent times, the surname ISMA has been carried by individuals from various regions with historical ties to the Arab world or Islamic cultures, including parts of Africa, Asia, and Europe.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Isma

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

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

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

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