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

Jafari, 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 Jafari surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jafari in America

Jafari is the 26110th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jafari surname appeared 938 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 Jafari.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jafari 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 Jafari

The surname Jafari is of Arabic origin, traced back to the Middle East, particularly Iran. It is believed to have emerged during the Islamic Golden Age, between the 8th and 13th centuries. The name is derived from the Arabic word "Jafar," which means "stream" or "rivulet." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have lived near a stream or a body of water.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Jafari can be found in the writings of the renowned Persian poet and scholar, Jalaluddin Rumi, who lived in the 13th century. Rumi's works contain references to individuals with the surname Jafari, indicating their presence in the region during that time.

In the 14th century, a notable figure named Ahmad al-Jafari, also known as Ibn al-Jafari, was a prominent Islamic scholar and jurist from Isfahan, Iran. His works on Islamic jurisprudence and theology were widely influential during his time and beyond.

The surname Jafari has also been associated with several places in Iran, such as the village of Jafari located in the province of Khorasan. This suggests a possible connection between the name and specific geographic locations within the country.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the surname Jafari. One such person was Mirza Mohammad Khan Jafari (1785-1854), a prominent Persian statesman and diplomat who served as the ambassador of Persia (now Iran) to the Ottoman Empire in the early 19th century.

Another significant figure was Shaykh Ahmad Jafari (1892-1976), an influential Shia Islamic scholar and religious leader from Iran. He was widely respected for his teachings and contributions to Islamic theology and jurisprudence.

In the literary realm, Sadegh Jafari (1928-2005) was a renowned Iranian poet and writer who was recognized for his contributions to contemporary Persian literature. His works explored themes of socio-political commentary and human emotions.

The name Jafari has also been associated with various fields, including science and academia. For instance, Jalal Jafari (1919-1994) was an Iranian physicist and academic who made significant contributions to the field of nuclear physics.

Additionally, Masoud Jafari Jozani (born 1955) is a prominent Iranian-American architect and scholar known for his work in sustainable architecture and urban design.

While the surname Jafari has its roots in the Middle East, particularly Iran, it has also gained recognition in other parts of the world, with individuals bearing this name making notable contributions across various disciplines and sectors.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jafari

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

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

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

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