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

Kalif, 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 Kalif surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kalif in America

Kalif is the 136449th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kalif surname appeared 123 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 Kalif.

The history of the last name Kalif

The surname KALIF has its roots in the Arabic language and is believed to have originated in the Middle East, specifically in regions that were once part of the vast Islamic caliphates. It is derived from the Arabic word "khalifa," which means "successor" or "caliph," referring to the supreme religious and political leader of the Islamic community.

The earliest recorded instances of the name KALIF can be traced back to the 7th century CE, during the rise of Islamic empires in the Middle East and North Africa. As the caliphates expanded, the name likely spread across the region and was adopted by individuals or families with connections to the ruling class or those who held positions of authority within the Islamic governance system.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name KALIF was Abu Bakr al-Kalif, a prominent scholar and jurist who lived in the 9th century CE in present-day Iraq. He was renowned for his expertise in Islamic jurisprudence and played a significant role in the development of legal frameworks within the Abbasid Caliphate.

Another notable figure associated with the name KALIF was Ibn al-Kalif, a renowned physician and philosopher who lived in the 11th century CE in present-day Spain. He made significant contributions to the fields of medicine and scientific inquiry during the golden age of Islamic civilization in Andalusia.

During the Crusades, the name KALIF appeared in various historical accounts and records, as European chroniclers documented their encounters with Islamic rulers and officials bearing this title. One such example is the account of Reynald de Châtillon, a French nobleman who clashed with the forces of the Ayyubid dynasty in the 12th century CE.

In the 13th century CE, a prominent figure known as Al-Kalif al-Baghdadi emerged as a renowned scholar and theologian in the city of Baghdad. His works on Islamic theology and philosophy had a profound impact on the intellectual discourse of the time.

As the Islamic empires expanded and trade routes facilitated cultural exchange, the name KALIF likely spread to other regions, including parts of Europe and Asia. However, its prevalence and usage remained primarily concentrated in areas with historical ties to the Islamic caliphates and Arabic-speaking populations.

While the surname KALIF may have evolved and taken on various spellings or regional variations over time, its origins can be firmly traced back to the Arabic language and the influential role of the caliphs in shaping the religious, political, and cultural landscapes of the Islamic world during its golden age.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kalif

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

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 Kalif 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.

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

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

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