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

Jaafar, 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 Jaafar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jaafar in America

Jaafar is the 46902nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jaafar surname appeared 453 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 Jaafar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jaafar 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 Jaafar

The surname Jaafar has its roots in the Arabic language and is believed to have originated in the Middle East, specifically in the Arabian Peninsula. Its origins can be traced back to the 7th century CE, during the early days of Islamic civilization.

The name Jaafar is derived from the Arabic word "jafer," which means "stream" or "river." It was initially used as a descriptive name, likely referring to someone who lived near a stream or river. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in ancient Arabic manuscripts and historical records from the region.

One of the most notable historical figures bearing the name Jaafar was Jafar ibn Abi Talib, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad and one of the earliest converts to Islam. He lived from around 595 to 629 CE and played a significant role in the early spread of Islam.

During the medieval period, the surname Jaafar appeared in various regions of the Islamic world, including Persia, North Africa, and parts of the Iberian Peninsula. It was often associated with prominent families and scholars, indicating a certain level of prestige and intellectual pursuits.

In the 11th century, a renowned Persian scholar and poet named Jaafar al-Bayhaqi was born in the city of Bayhaq, located in modern-day Iran. He is known for his extensive writings on Islamic jurisprudence and history, and his works are still studied and revered today.

Another notable figure was Jaafar al-Sadiq, a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad and an influential Islamic scholar who lived from 699 to 765 CE. He is considered one of the most important figures in the development of Shia Islamic thought and is highly revered in Shia communities worldwide.

The surname Jaafar also appears in historical records from the Iberian Peninsula, particularly during the period of Muslim rule in parts of modern-day Spain and Portugal. One example is Jaafar ibn Abdallah, a 10th-century ruler of the Taifa of Seville, an independent Muslim state in what is now southern Spain.

As the Islamic civilization expanded and interacted with other cultures, the surname Jaafar spread to various regions, including parts of Central Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and even Southeast Asia. In some of these areas, the name underwent minor spelling variations or adaptations to local languages and dialects, but its Arabic roots remained recognizable.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jaafar

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

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

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

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