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

Kabir, 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 Kabir surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kabir in America

Kabir is the 14950th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kabir surname appeared 1,978 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Kabir.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kabir 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 Kabir

The surname Kabir is of Arabic origin and can be traced back to the 12th century in parts of modern-day Iran and Central Asia. The name is derived from the Arabic word "kabir," meaning "great" or "elder," and was likely used as a descriptive surname or title for someone who held a position of respect or authority within their community.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Kabir can be found in the poetry and teachings of the renowned 15th-century Indian mystic and poet, Kabir Das. Born in Varanasi, India, in 1440, Kabir Das is revered for his profound spiritual verses that transcended religious boundaries and inspired people from all walks of life.

In the 16th century, the name Kabir appeared in historical records from the Ottoman Empire, where it was used by influential scholars and statesmen. One notable figure was Mustafa Kabir Efendi, a renowned poet and calligrapher who lived in Istanbul during the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (1520-1566).

The surname Kabir also has a presence in Central Asian history, particularly in the regions of modern-day Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. In the 18th century, Nader Shah, the powerful ruler of the Afsharid dynasty in Persia (modern-day Iran), appointed a talented military commander named Murad Kabir to oversee operations in the region.

Another prominent figure with the surname Kabir was Mirza Mohammad Kabir (1808-1852), a Persian statesman and diplomat who served as the Prime Minister of Iran during the Qajar dynasty. He is credited with implementing significant reforms and modernization efforts in the country.

In more recent times, the name Kabir has been carried by influential individuals such as Humayun Kabir (1906-1969), an influential Bengali educator, politician, and diplomat who served as the Minister of Education in India, and Mustafa Kabir Çelebi (1891-1957), a prominent Turkish scholar and linguist who made significant contributions to the study of Ottoman Turkish literature and language.

While the surname Kabir is widely distributed across various regions, its origins can be traced back to the Arabic word "kabir," reflecting a rich cultural and historical significance as a title of respect and authority.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kabir

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

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

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

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