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

Kaleem, 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 Kaleem surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kaleem in America

Kaleem is the 70645th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kaleem surname appeared 277 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 Kaleem.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kaleem 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 Kaleem

The surname Kaleem traces its origins to the Arabic language and the Islamic faith. It is believed to have originated in the Middle East, particularly in the Arabian Peninsula, during the early days of Islam in the 7th century.

The name Kaleem is derived from the Arabic word "kalima," which means "word" or "speech." It is closely associated with the term "Kalimatullah," meaning "the Word of God," a reference to the Islamic belief that the Quran is the literal word of God revealed to Prophet Muhammad.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Kaleem can be found in historical texts and manuscripts from the 8th century, where it was used as a descriptive title or epithet for individuals who were known for their eloquence, wisdom, and ability to communicate effectively.

In the 10th century, the name Kaleem gained prominence as a surname among Arab scholars, poets, and religious leaders. The earliest known person to bear the surname Kaleem was Abu al-Qasim al-Kaleem, a renowned Arabic poet and philosopher who lived in Baghdad during the Golden Age of Islamic civilization (circa 950-1050 AD).

Another prominent figure in history with the surname Kaleem was Sheikh Abdul Kaleem, a revered Sufi mystic and spiritual leader who lived in the 12th century in present-day Iran. He was known for his profound teachings on the path of self-realization and inner knowledge.

In the 13th century, the name Kaleem was associated with a prominent family of scholars and religious leaders from the city of Medina, Saudi Arabia. One of the most notable members of this family was Imam Kaleem al-Madani, who was widely respected for his expertise in Islamic jurisprudence and Hadith (sayings of Prophet Muhammad).

During the Ottoman Empire, which ruled over parts of the Middle East and North Africa from the 14th to the 20th century, the surname Kaleem was prevalent among Turkish and Arab families living in the region. One notable figure from this period was Mehmet Kaleem Efendi, a renowned calligrapher and artist who contributed to the preservation and promotion of Islamic calligraphy in the 16th century.

In more recent history, the surname Kaleem has been carried by several influential figures in various fields, including Dr. Aga Shahi Kaleem, a prominent Pakistani philosopher and academic who lived from 1920 to 2002, and Kaleem Siddiqui, a renowned Pakistani writer and poet who was born in 1942 and is known for his contributions to Urdu literature.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kaleem

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!