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

Jihad, 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 Jihad surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jihad in America

Jihad is the 83541st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jihad surname appeared 225 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 Jihad.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jihad 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 Jihad

The surname "JIHAD" is believed to have originated in the Middle East, specifically in the Arabian Peninsula, during the early days of Islam. It is derived from the Arabic word "jihad," which means "struggle" or "effort" in the spiritual and religious context of Islam.

The term "jihad" has its roots in the Quranic teachings and the life of the Prophet Muhammad. It refers to the inner struggle against one's vices and the outer struggle for the defense and propagation of the Islamic faith. The surname "JIHAD" likely emerged as a way to honor individuals who were regarded as exemplars of this spiritual and physical struggle.

Historically, the name "JIHAD" appears in various Islamic manuscripts and chronicles, particularly those documenting the early conquests and spread of Islam. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was Abu Bakr al-Jihad, a prominent scholar and warrior who lived during the 7th century in the Arabian Peninsula.

Another notable figure was Khalid ibn al-Walid, known as "Sayf Allah al-Maslul" (The Drawn Sword of God), who lived from around 592 to 642 CE. He was a revered military commander during the early Muslim conquests and played a crucial role in the expansion of the Islamic empire.

During the Abbasid Caliphate, which ruled from 750 to 1258 CE, the name "JIHAD" gained further prominence. One of the most influential personalities with this surname was Abu Nasr al-Jihad, a renowned theologian and philosopher who lived in the 9th century and made significant contributions to Islamic thought.

In the 12th century, the renowned Muslim polymath and philosopher, Averroes (Ibn Rushd al-Jihad), was born in Cordoba, Spain. His works had a profound impact on the development of Western philosophy and science during the Renaissance period.

Another notable figure was Imam al-Jihad, a respected Islamic scholar and jurist who lived in the 14th century and played a pivotal role in the development of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) in the Hanafi school of thought.

It is important to note that while the surname "JIHAD" has a rich historical significance in the Islamic tradition, its modern usage and interpretation have been subject to various interpretations and debates within the Muslim community and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jihad

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

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

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

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