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

Kamal, 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 Kamal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kamal in America

Kamal is the 11932nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kamal surname appeared 2,623 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 Kamal.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kamal 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 Kamal

The surname Kamal has its roots in the Arabic language, originating from the Middle East and North Africa regions. It traces its origins back to the 7th century AD during the Islamic Golden Age.

Kamal is derived from the Arabic word 'kamal,' which means 'perfection' or 'excellence.' It was initially used as a descriptive name to denote individuals who exhibited exceptional qualities or achievements.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kamal can be found in the writings of the renowned Islamic scholar and philosopher, Al-Farabi (870-950 AD). He mentioned a mathematician named Abu Kamil Shuja ibn Aslam, who lived in the late 9th century and was known for his contributions to the field of algebra.

During the medieval period, the name Kamal gained prominence in various regions of the Islamic world. In the 12th century, a notable figure named Ibn Rushd, also known as Averroes (1126-1198 AD), a renowned Andalusian philosopher and scholar, bore the name Kamal.

Moving forward, the name Kamal was also associated with notable figures in the Ottoman Empire. One such individual was Kemal Pasha (1833-1913), an Ottoman statesman and military leader who played a significant role in the modernization of the Ottoman Empire's military forces.

In more recent times, the surname Kamal has been carried by several influential personalities. One noteworthy figure was Kemal Atatürk (1881-1938), the founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey, who was instrumental in establishing a secular and modern Turkish state.

Another prominent individual with the surname Kamal was Mustafa Kamal (1920-2012), a renowned Bangladeshi writer, novelist, and playwright, who made significant contributions to the literary and cultural landscape of his country.

It is worth noting that the name Kamal has also been associated with various place names and geographical locations across the Middle East and North Africa. For instance, there is a town called Kamal in Iran, and a city named Kamal in Tunisia, both of which may have derived their names from individuals bearing the surname Kamal.

Overall, the surname Kamal has a rich history and cultural significance, deeply rooted in the Arabic language and the Islamic tradition. It has been carried by scholars, philosophers, statesmen, and literary figures over the centuries, signifying its enduring presence and influence across various regions and civilizations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kamal

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

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

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

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