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

Jafar, 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 Jafar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jafar in America

Jafar is the 47706th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jafar surname appeared 444 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 Jafar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jafar 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 Jafar

The surname Jafar is of Arabic origin, with its roots traced back to the Middle East in the early medieval period. The name is derived from the Arabic word "jafr," which means "stream" or "small river." It is believed that the name was initially used as a locational surname, referring to people who lived near or around a stream or river.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Jafar can be found in historical records from the 9th and 10th centuries in regions of the Middle East, particularly in present-day Iraq, Syria, and Egypt. During this period, the name was often associated with scholars, poets, and influential figures within the Islamic world.

One of the most notable historical references to the name Jafar is found in the "Kitab al-Aghani" (The Book of Songs), a renowned collection of Arabic poetry and literature compiled in the 9th century. The book mentions several poets and writers with the surname Jafar, indicating the name's prevalence among literary circles of that time.

In the 11th century, the name Jafar gained recognition through the influential scholar and philosopher Abu Muhammad al-Jafar ibn Muhammad al-Naqib al-Hilli, also known as Al-Jafar al-Hilli (1042-1106). He was a renowned figure in the field of Islamic jurisprudence and made significant contributions to the development of Shia Islamic thought.

During the Mamluk and Ottoman periods, the surname Jafar continued to be prominent in various regions of the Middle East. In the 14th century, the Egyptian historian and writer Shams al-Din al-Jafar al-Suyuti (1445-1505) gained acclaim for his works on Islamic studies and Arabic literature.

Another notable figure bearing the surname Jafar was the 16th-century Persian poet and mystic Shah Jafar Isfahani (1501-1567), whose works had a profound influence on the literary and spiritual traditions of the region.

As the surname spread across the Middle East and North Africa, it also found its way into other regions through trade, migration, and cultural exchanges. In the 18th century, the name Jafar was recorded in parts of South Asia, particularly in areas with significant Muslim populations, such as present-day Pakistan and India.

Throughout history, the surname Jafar has been carried by numerous other individuals, including scholars, artists, and political figures, further solidifying its place in the cultural tapestry of the Middle East and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jafar

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

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

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

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